A woman not so old greeted us, "Welcome back Professor Wales and... welcome to Academia Magnivar sweet child Solana."
"Thank you, Violet." Nan said strictly.
Violet lingered her eyes on me. "I am Violet, headmistress of the academy." She extended her arms urging me to shake it.
Smiling, she turned her back to us,"Please follow me to the Astrid Hall. Surely we do not want nosy students eyeing us."
I then looked around and she's correct, students were curiously looking at us. Walking intro a very huge corridor I noticed emblems of things I can't name. But it is beautiful. We come halting our walk and focus my attention more on the headmistresss.
She lifted the small silver bell from the inside of her coat pocket, its shape thin and old, etched with vines and curving symbols of a language Solana couldn't name. She turned to the wall beside them, a stretch of white stone veined with silver lines. Without a word, she tapped the bell against the surface.
The sound was not loud, but deep. It echoed with a strange weight.
At once, the wall rippled. Not like water—but like breath, exhaled slow and cold. A shadow slipped forward, detached from the wall, flowing into a distinct shape. It was human in form, but not in being—its edges undefined, drifting like mist trapped inside a cloak. It had no face, no eyes. But it moved with purpose.
Solana took a quiet step back. Even Nan seemed watchful now.
"This is a Shadow Guide," Violet said calmly. "It cannot speak, but it will lead you where you must go. You may trust it."
The shadow turned its faceless head toward Solana and gestured gently with one dark hand.
"Go with it," Nan whispered beside her, placing a light touch on Sol's back. "I'll be with Violet for now."
Solana's mouth felt dry, but she nodded, stepping forward to follow the shadow.
It moved in complete silence—so silent, in fact, that Solana's own footsteps felt too loud against the gleaming marble floor. The corridor narrowed, winding deeper through the heart of the castle-like hall until they reached a place where no doors stood. Just a mirror.
It was tall and aged, its corners laced with thin silver leaves. At the top of the frame, carved in ancient, weathered stone, was a single word.
"Transitus."
Passage.
Solana stared at it, unsure. Then slowly turned to the shadow. It raised its hand, fingers curling, and held up three numbers—first three fingers, then one, then three again.
"…Room 313?" she asked softly.
As if in response, the mirror rippled.
It was like watching the surface of still water being touched by wind. The glass shimmered, then softened into something else—something deeper. A glow formed in the center, the edges expanding until a faint archway appeared, outlined in silver.
Solana took a slow breath. The shadow moved a hand again, gesturing toward the passage.
She stepped forward, hesitating only for a heartbeat, then passed through the mirror.
For a moment, everything was cold—like being swallowed by wind—and then she stumbled into a hallway. Or rather, the very front of a door.
Room 313.
She turned to look behind her, but there was only stone wall now. No mirror. No shadow.
Except—it was there. The shadow had followed, still quiet, still unmoving. It lifted a hand and mimed a knock.
Solana blinked. Then raised her fist and tapped three times on the door.
A pause.
Then footsteps from inside, hurried ones, and the door creaked open.
A girl with short dark curls peeked through the gap. She had curious brown eyes and a slightly amused expression, as if she hadn't expected anyone to knock.
"You're my roommate?" she asked.
"I… I think so. Room 313?"
"That's this one." The girl opened the door wider. "Come in. I'm Kael."
Solana smiled politely and stepped inside, taking in the room.
It was larger than she imagined. Two beds, set on opposite walls, with tall arched windows letting in the last blush of twilight. Her side—clearly untouched—was pristine and beautiful. A canopy bed with deep navy sheets, a sleek oak desk with a velvet chair, and a wardrobe that looked carved straight from the forest. The air smelled faintly of herbs and old parchment.
Kael's side, in contrast, looked very… lived in.
Clothes spilled from her open closet like they'd tried to escape. There were shoes under her bed, ink bottles on the floor, and at least three open books stacked haphazardly on her desk. But there was also something warm about it. It didn't feel messy—it felt like someone who belonged.
Kael threw a sweater onto her bed to make space. "Sorry, I was trying to organize this yesterday and then… I didn't."
Solana laughed under her breath. "It's okay."
She glanced toward the doorway, but the shadow was already gone. Like it had never been there at all.
Kael noticed her looking. "First time seeing a Shadow Guide?"
Solana nodded.
"They're creepy. I like them, though. Better than the owls."
Solana blinked. "There are owls?"
"Yeah. They come from the south tower sometimes. Don't worry, they're just nosy, not magical." Kael stretched and flopped onto her bed.
Solana nodded, though she wasn't sure she agreed. Something about the way she'd arrived—so suddenly, so secret—made her feel like she was part of something far larger than herself. Something that had already begun moving.
And she didn't know where it would take her.
⸻
Kael yawned, stretching like a lazy cat. "You'll get used to the strangeness here, by the way. It never really goes away, but you stop jumping every time something moves."
Solana smiled faintly, folding her hands on her lap. "Good to know."
Kael sat up suddenly. "Oh! If you ever hear trumpets out of nowhere—that means it's lunchtime or dinner time . You drop whatever you're doing and eat."
Solana perked up. "Trumpets?"
"Yup. Comes from the south tower, I think." Then she paused, looking thoughtful. "Though, to be fair, they only do that once school's started. Until then, it's delivery."
Just as she said it, a faint knock echoed through the room—gentle, but with a sound that carried. Solana turned her head toward the door, and once again, there was a shadow.
This one stood silent and still, as all of them did. It pointed slowly toward the hallway, where two floating trays hovered just above the floor. Steam curled from covered dishes, silverware clinked softly against plates.
"Ah. Food," Kael said brightly, hopping off her bed and rushing to grab hers. "Come on, before it floats away."
Solana followed, retrieving her tray with quiet awe. It felt warm in her hands, real and grounding, like everything else was a dream.
They sat cross-legged on the floor, trays balanced between them as they ate. The food was surprisingly good—roasted vegetables, seasoned rice, and slices of herbed bread that reminded Solana faintly of Nan's cooking.
"I keep forgetting to ask," Kael said between bites. "What's your name?"
"Solana."
"Solana," Kael repeated, as if testing the taste of it. "Pretty. I'm Kael. Short for Mikaela, but don't ever call me that."
Solana grinned. "Noted."
Kael continued talking, waving her fork animatedly. "So, just a heads up—the uniforms. We'll be getting red ones. First-years always wear red. It's like… their way of labeling us as the baby birds."
Solana raised an eyebrow. "That sounds mildly humiliating."
"Oh, it is. Second-years get blue, third-years gray, and fourth-years wear black like they're above it all. It's this whole color-coded hierarchy thing. But the coats are nice. Very academic."
Solana looked down at her current outfit, still dressed in the travel clothes Nan insisted she wear—soft linen, long sleeves, and her favorite worn boots.
Solana wanted to ask more, but something in Kael's tone made her pause. Not secrecy—just timing. As if there were things that only made sense once you saw them for yourself.
They talked for a little while longer, finishing their food and trading small details about their lives. Kael had grown up in a bustling port city near the coast, surrounded by water and noise. Her magic, as she vaguely described it, had something to do with sight and illusion.
A few quiet hours passed. Solana explored the room, touched the thick red drapes on her side of the window, admired the shelves built into the walls, and finally unpacked some of her clothes. The room was beautiful—clearly designed to feel like a place to grow into, not just sleep in.
When the knock came again, it was softer than before, almost hesitant. Solana turned, expecting another shadow.
This time, it was Headmistress Violet. Her striking presence filled the doorway, the dark plum of her robes trailing behind her like spilled ink. Behind her, Nan stood quiet and upright.
"May we come in, Solana?" the Headmistress asked.
Solana nodded and stepped aside. Kael, sensing something more formal, straightened up on her bed and gave a polite wave before slipping on her shoes and heading toward the window seat—out of earshot, but not entirely gone.
Nan gave Solana a long look, something soft and unreadable in her expression. She looked less tired than she had earlier, but her posture was stiff, her hands folded tightly in front of her.
"We wanted to check in," said Violet, her voice even. "To see how your room suited you, and how you're settling."
"It's… lovely," Solana said honestly. "And Kael is nice."
"I'm glad to hear that," Violet said. "You'll need a strong bond with your peers here. We don't just teach magic at Academia Magnivar—we teach resilience. Belonging. Purpose."
Solana nodded, unsure what to say.
Nan was quiet, eyes scanning the room briefly before settling on her.
Violet's gaze lingered on her a moment longer, as though studying a page in a book only she could read.
"There is a lot you don't know yet," the Headmistress finally said, voice cool but not unkind. "But you will. When the time comes."
Then, as if that were all, she gave a slight bow of her head.
"We'll leave you to your evening. Tomorrow, there'll be more to see."
Nan stepped forward, gave Solana a brief hug, and then followed Violet out the door.
Solana stood there for a long time, watching the space they had filled, feeling the ripple their presence had left behind.
Kael looked over her shoulder. "Well. That looked serious."
"It kind of was."
"Don't worry," Kael said, plopping back onto her bed. "Everything here is serious. But it's also… kind of wonderful."
Solana didn't answer. Her fingers brushed over the hem of her sleeve.
She still didn't understand why they had come for her now. Why the timing had mattered. Why Nan had waited.
But maybe soon… she would.