Chapter Text
“Oh no oh no oh no I’m gonna be late to class!”
As I turned the corner, I ran into some smug-looking senior. “Oh, sorry, sorry” I said.
“Oh, you’re fine, you’re not that big!” He said, “You’re looking a little frazzled, are you ok?”
“Oh! Um, I need to get to Mrs. Wyrdbone’s class, a little help please?”
“You mean Willow? No need to worry, she’s right down this hall, just go left and turn right at the library. Her class is the one with the creepy green runes on the door, you can’t miss it.”
I nodded, “Thanks, I’ll be right on my way!” I walked past him, down the hall and taking the first left, like he said.
After 30 minutes of walking, I couldn’t find the library, so I took the first right I found, which turned out to be a dead-end.
“Is anyone else lost?!” I moaned
***
A slam came from the back of the classroom as a redheaded girl burst into the classroom. “Good Afternoon, Ms. Gern,” Mrs. Wyrdbone said, “Please, take a seat.”
“Afternoon?!” the student exclaimed. “What time is it?!”
“1 o’clock, shortstack” an orc student with a bright red ponytail yelled from the back of the room. For some reason, she had brought a massive axe with her to summoning class.
“Ms. Heker, please do not refer to students as ‘shortstack’” recited Mrs. Wyrdbone. The orc responded by putting her feet up on her desk.
The redhead decided to cautiously descend the steps of the class and find a place to sit. “Hey, kid!” the redhead turned to see a goblin girl with stark black hair beckoning the freshman to a seat next to her. The redhead took the offer and sat down next to the goblin.
“Sorry about Tanra, she can be a bit overbearing at times,” said the young goblin “Whatcha name, kid?”
“I’m Jenef,” said the redhead, “Jenef Gern, as you already heard.”
“Well hello Jenef, I’m Ash. Ash Gemshot, if ya gotta know,” Ash said happily, “Hey, I don’t think I recognize you, were you here for last night’s orientation?”
“Oh, no, I wasn’t, I got here super late last night,” Jenef moaned.
Seeming interested, Ash asked “What happened, why were you so late?”
“My parents are total klutz’s, actually my whole family is very disorganized.”
“Really, your whole family’s like that? Eh, we all got our..." Ash hesitated, a look of unease washing over her face. However, she continued "...Problems. My family-”
“Ms. Gemshot!” Willow roared, freezing Ash in her tracks. “Do you have something you would like to say to the class?”
“N-no ma’am!” Ash stuttered.
Willow nodded, “That’s what I thought, now, portal runes are very….”
Ash waited a bit, then bent down slightly and whispered “What’re you doing in this class?”
Jenef, distracted by the lesson, looked back at Ash. “Hm?”
“I said what are you doing in this class? You don’t seem very ‘warlock-y,’ if you get what I mean.”
“Oh, I still need a summoning credit to take a resurrection class next year. How about you, you don’t seem very invested in the lesson.”
Ash cringed and said “The school requires at least 4 warlock class credits each year in order to graduate as a warlock, and this year it was either this or,” she shivered, “Gandling.”
“The necromancy headmaster?” Jenef asked. “The one and only.” Ash responded. “I heard if you fail his class he turns you into a zombie!”
Jenef whispered, terrified, “Really?”
“Yes, really!” Ash exclaimed, quiet enough for Willow not to hear, “I even saw one of them! I was going to the bathroom, and I swear one of them was shuffling in the hallway next to my dorm!”
Jenef looked at her in horror. “Oh no! I have him next period!”
“Oh no, really? Okay, lemme see, I think I have something that could help you,” Ash pulled out her bag from under her chair and started ruffling through it. “Ah! There we go!” She said, pulling out a glowing purple stone and putting it in Jenef’s hands, “If you’re ever in danger, real, life-threatening danger, then throw this at him and run.”
Jenef was in awe of the little stone, and asked “What is it?”
“It’s a soul fragment.” Ash said casually.
“A soul fragment?!” Jenef yelped, nearly dropping the fragment, “Aren’t these the souls that are ripped out of people with dark rituals?”
“Forbidden rituals, ya say? Hardcore! But nah, I just got these from the school. You see, one day I want to become a soulciologist.”
Jenef looked puzzled,”...What’s a soulciologist?”
“Scientists who study the latent energy hidden within souls!” Ash said with a gleam in her eye, “Historically most soulciologists have been warlocks, the most famous example being Melada Morrigan, but Malicia’s recent work in the field at this very school has expanded the study to also include demon hunters!”
“Morrigan… I recognize that name…” Jenef wondered. “Oh!” she Exclaimed, slamming her fist in her palm, “Didn’t she work with Zerek for a brief period? I think it was the… Bombsday Project?”
“Boomsday Project.” Ash corrected.
“Same thing,” retorted Jenef, “But they still worked together right? Something about cloning.”
“Oh yeah, Ectomancy. Yeah, that was actually a prank Zerek pulled on Morrigan after one of her demonic projects turned his research assistant into a flame imp.”
Jenef started saying “Oh, that’s ne-” when she was interrupted by the sound of a bell and ruffling papers as the students around her began to pack up.
Willow, who was midway through a sentence, droned “Alright class, remember you have a homunculus due next Thursday and finish your demonization packet to turn in by Friday!”
“Aight, Jenef, come on!” Ash said to Jenef, already walking out of class.
Jenef hurried behind her and asked, confused, “Did she say demonization packet? I never got a demonization packet!”
“I’ll give you a copy at lunch, now come on!” Ash said and hurried out the door. “Coming!” said Jenef, following her, and ending her first period at Scholomance Academy.