Our goal was no longer far.
For the past few minutes, we had been walking along a winding path that seemed to lead directly to the tower.
The further we went, the more I realized just how gigantic it was. We couldn't see the top because of the clouds, and its width seemed to span several kilometers. It was incredible—I never thought I'd see such a colossal structure in my life. It added another layer of the unknown and mysterious to this amazing new world.
I didn't really know why I was so excited about discovering this new supernatural world.
Boredom? Unlikely.
Freedom? That doesn't exist.
Power? Maybe.
No, it wasn't for those reasons.
It was because of her.
The one responsible for all my torment.
The one who had caged me.
Her, whose mere mention made my insides twist.
The only one who had escaped my grasp that day.
My greatest regret was having failed to catch her as she fled like a rabbit.
I could still see her stumbling on the asphalt, the red increasingly soaking her pure white dress. Her terrified face staring at me as I approached her body, which was just waiting to welcome my blade a second time.
How frustrating it was not to be able to quench my thirst.
And yet, the conditions had been perfect.
It was "Inspection Day."
I had managed to steal a scalpel from one of the "doctors."
The night was unnaturally dark.
The moon was tinged with a bloody red, as if it resonated with my intentions.
And still, she got away.
Fucking bad luck.
But it doesn't matter. I'll find her again, I'm sure of it. I'll collect her debt sooner or later—with interest.
*
Finally!
The forest was behind us!
I never wanted to see the shadow of a tree again.
A vast plain over a kilometer wide surrounded the tower. Compared to the tower, the plain seemed ridiculously small.
A few minutes later, we arrived at the base of the tower. Several people were already there.
About twenty prisoners wearing the same uniform as us—though theirs were in better shape. It looked like they had just gone for a walk.
A man stood in front of us, eyeing us with his dark green gaze. He looked to be in his thirties, dressed entirely in black, which contrasted with his shoulder-length red hair. A neatly trimmed beard adorned a stern face.
"Damn, he doesn't look friendly."
"Watch your mouth, princess."
"You're fucking annoying, you know that ?"
Klaus frowned.
"He's strong."
The man's deep voice echoed across the vast clearing.
"Perfect, everyone's here. I'll now explain how the rest of your life is going to unfold."
Everyone? Only twenty-six of us remained, including ourselves. Had all the others died? I guess some were less lucky than us.
And what did he mean by 'rest of your life'? Were they going to lock us up again?
He continued:
"You are officially dead. Forget the world as you knew it—your families, your friends, even your name. None of it matters anymore."
Murmurs spread among the remaining detainees. Some incredulous, others curious, and some angry.
The man raised his voice, making everyone's ears tremble:
"Silence! From now on, you belong to the 'Blood Scribes'. Any rebellion or refusal to follow orders will be punished by death. No pity, no forgiveness. Consider yourselves dogs—your master's will is absolute. And on that note… Come get your collars."
The man snapped his fingers, and two people dressed like him appeared, holding small boxes.
They spoke,
"Line up and step forward one by one. This is not a request."
I got in line among the first, I was truly excited!
The man handed me a small collar, an elegant black chain alloy with a peculiar clasp. Or maybe it was normal? I had never worn one before.
I waited until all my friends had theirs. They had all put them on almost instantly.
I tried to look cute by pouting a bit, which made them all shiver—maybe because they were impressed by my cuteness ?
"Can someone help me put this on?"
Julia turned her head away, eyes filled with disgust.
Amelia shot me a glare.
"Figure it out yourself, mutt."
Klaus sighed.
"Turn around, I'll do it. But please, don't ever make that face again."
He had never spoken such a long sentence. I must've charmed him more than I thought—I should be more careful next time !
I did as told. The collar was a bit loose, but to my surprise, it shrank as soon as the clasp was fastened, wrapping snugly around the base of my neck, just under my Adam's apple.
"Alright. Now that you've all got your leashes, I'll explain how these collars work and what your life will be like for the next few years. I'll only say it once, so listen carefully. This collar is an 'insurance policy'. It contains an explosive powerful enough to obliterate you before you could take three steps. Don't even think about escaping."
Holy shit, I just put a bomb around my neck without a second thought.
"But that's not all, it also measures your 'power'. These are the two most important features. You'll discover the rest yourselves."
Our power?! That's awesome! I absolutely don't regret putting on that little C4 beauty.
"As for your program, think of it like going back to school. You'll study various subjects and learn about the world around you."
School? I had never gone to one, but from the deep sighs of my companions—except for Ethan, who looked like he was on cloud nine—it didn't sound exciting.
"Your assigned teacher will show you around."
And with that, he vanished into thin air, as if he had never been there. Several of the young people beside me gasped in surprise, but I was amazed. Would I be able to do that one day?
Amelia turned to us.
"Shit, we're going back to school? This is worse than prison!"
She was exaggerating, wasn't she? I didn't share her disappointment.
"I've never been to school—it might be fun. It's a magic school after all! It must be one of those wizard towers from the stories!"
Klaus continued:
"No point complaining. With these collars on, we have no choice but to obey. Damn, it reminds me of the army."
Klaus had been in the army? No wonder he was so serious.
"I just want to sleep~."
Amelia couldn't help but comment,
"Such a child…"
Those two got along surprisingly well!
Ethan wasn't even listening to us. He looked like a junkie who had just gotten his fix—he was practically drooling.
A few minutes later, a woman appeared out of nowhere, standing exactly where the man had stood.
She was tall—at least two meters. Dark skin adorned with gold jewelry accentuated her striking appearance. Long white braids fell to her hips. The contrast between her skin and her hair was stunning—almost hypnotic.
Her deep black eyes scanned each of us in turn. She was probably assessing her new beloved students.
A soft yet stern voice spoke:
"My word is law. My orders are absolute. Now, follow me."
Well, she didn't waste time.
Our new teacher snapped her fingers, and a massive door appeared on the side of the tower. It really was a magical tower—I was right, as always. I'm way too smart!
The gray stone doors opened, revealing the inside of the tower. As I walked in, I began to make out the interior.
I wasn't expecting it at all—it looked nothing like I imagined. I thought we'd see shifting hallways, talking paintings, mystical creatures roaming around.
Instead, it looked like… another world. Literally.
Vast grasslands, rivers, woods, a sky—even a sun!
How was this possible? My curiosity only grew as we followed a path leading to what looked like a simple wooden house, as if we were in a completely mundane place.
We all walked in silence, absorbed by the absurdity of it all. All my fantasies about magical school clichés were slowly fading.
So there wouldn't be magic wands? Or pointy hats?
I felt like I'd been scammed again.
We soon reached a sort of large manor house, but in terrible condition. Our new home.
The floorboards creaked. Some windows were broken and had been crudely patched with planks. The bathroom was filthy and cramped, limescale everywhere. The rooms were basic, a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, and a chair, all lit by a single bare bulb, with exposed wiring.
Most people looked devastated, even though they'd been in prison. I guess they hadn't been in solitary like I was.
But to me, this was pure luxury! I had never slept in a bed in my life, just a mattress on the floor of my cell. I had never even had a room. I almost wanted to scream with joy! But the teacher hated wasting time. She walked fast and talked faster. I didn't want to get on her bad side.
In just a few minutes, we were out of the building and on our way to the next one.
A rectangular building, plain gray, with a few scattered windows, the cafeteria.
Then we visited the classrooms, finally, the interesting part!
The outside of the building looked like dazzling white marble. The upper half was entirely glass.
The hallways were wide, ten people could walk side by side. Countless doors passed as we moved.
We arrived in a small room. Thirty wooden chairs were arranged in a circle around a whiteboard.
"This will be your theory classroom, every Monday at 9 a.m."
She wasn't very talkative—like most people here, it seemed. I just hoped I wouldn't get bored.
Next, we reached another room—bigger, with the same number of tables, some white, others black, each with a cabinet beside it.
"This will be your 'Drawing' class."
Drawing? I don't give a damn about that! Is this a magic school or kindergarten? Are they going to teach us how to write too ?
Well.. I actually don't know how to write, but it's not important right ?
The next room was… strange. Completely empty, except for numerous doors inside. It seemed to lead to thirteen different rooms. But for what?
"Your meditation room. Its use is up to you, except for the first session, which is mandatory. Monday at 2 p.m."
Then she led us to the last room—a gigantic physical training field. It had workout machines, running tracks, tons of training dummies, and combat arenas.
Now that's more like it!
"Alright. You've seen all the relevant rooms for now. You may return to your quarters. Training starts tomorrow. Don't be late."
Finally, the little tour was over. I think I would've fallen asleep if it had gone on.
I walked next to Ethan. He was quiet, lost in thought.
Maybe I should start a conversation? That's how you make friends, right?
"So… Uh… What do you think about all this?"
He frowned and turned his head to me, his blue eyes meeting mine.
"Well… I'd be lying if I said I wasn't fascinated and eager to explore these new wonders waiting for us. However…"
"The collar, huh?"
"Yeah, exactly. I feel like a mutt—or rather, a slave. But I don't know if you noticed—none of the people we met today were wearing one. So it looks like they can be removed… or they remove them at some point. Either way, it's no use worrying—we can't do anything about it for now."
He had already thought this through. I should keep him close—he can handle the complicated stuff for me.
"I've decided. From now on, you'll be my brain, Ethan!"
He froze, almost tripping. Probably too shocked that I'd honor him by letting him assist me, the future great wizard Cain!
"By the way, do you know how this collar works? Like, how do we see our power?"
Ethan recovered and looked at me with sparkling eyes.
"Of course. You just gently press it. It's really an exceptional piece of tech!"
"It's not tech—it's magic!"
He sniffed.
"Hmph. Everything is tech. But you're too young to understand."
Bastard.
"You dare speak that way to the future great wizard? I sentence you to work for me!"
I paused.
"…For free!"
I heard the two girls laughing behind us.
"Pft, you've become his bitch, Ethan. I never thought I'd live long enough to see this day. Best day of my life."
He sighed in resignation—or maybe despair. Only he knew