Eternal Twilight's Welcome
If someone on Gandbik Island asked where Eldmier Academy was, a loose-lipped fool might answer, "Eldmier hides behind the dawn." Only now did Rupert truly understand the words he'd heard from his brother.
Sky and sea. A sharp light began piercing the horizon, indistinguishable in the thick darkness. Was that below the sea and above the sky? Or was above the sea and below the sky? Where was sky and where was sea?
In the hour of dawn, the rising sun marked the sky. In the hour of twilight, the setting sun marked the sea.
The eerily still waters. The waves that had raged to swallow the ship moments ago were gone, replaced by an endless deep blue abyss. Myriads of galaxy-like air bubbles swirled around us, rising toward the surface. The ship's inverted sails undulated gracefully underwater like the fins of some massive deep-sea creature.
Where the hell are we?
In this upside-down world, the sun was setting far in the distance.
Twoooong—
A wave of mystical mana pulsed through the world so powerfully even the talentless could feel it. The heavens and earth seemed to flip. An immense sense of buoyancy hit as the sea came crashing down.
Shuuuuuu—
"Ughhh…."
BOOM!!!!
"Waaaaah!!!"
The ship burst through the sea and into the air. The sky remained a dark night. As the world righted itself, the first sensation was the deafening roar of water—enough to leave ears ringing. Water trapped in railings, masts, and deck corners poured down like waterfalls, voicing the screams the kids hadn't yet uttered.
"Ku-kuk… kekeke."
"Kekekekeke."
"Whoa!!!!!!!!!"
"Hahahahahahaha!!!!!!"
As chaos engulfed everything, unexpected laughter bubbled up here and there. Upperclassmen, drenched like drowned rats covered in black seaweed and unidentified kelp, burst into raucous guffaws. The younger kids stared in bewilderment as they pointed and giggled at each other—until one upperclassman pointed beyond the deck.
"Our proud freshmen, eyes front!"
How long had it been there? Following his finger, a blazing city rose into view.
"That's Gandbik Island, the isle where the sun never rises. Welcome to Eldmier of eternal night."
Doooong—
Doooong—
A massive bell tolled as a gentle wind swirled, whisking away every drop of water and salt from the ship. Our bodies dried as if we'd never gotten wet.
"Phew…."
My brand-new uniform would've broken my heart if even a seam had torn. That shit wasn't cheap.
"Looks like no need for another wash, but still feels kinda sticky."
"Whoa, I was seriously freaked out."
"Still, it was quite the spectacle."
Rupert fussed dramatically beside me like he'd never imagined it, while Jayden gave a curt nod. And so ended the time-honored "gentle" initiation for newbies.
"Everyone, back to your cabins!"
But the kids who'd been dragged around clueless were too dazed for sightseeing.
Back in the cabin, our luggage sat untouched, right as we'd left it.
"Whoa… not a drop on anything."
Had the water not reached here? Or maybe that magic just now cleaned it all.
"Alright, first-years!!! Once you disembark, no coming back—so grab your stuff and don't forget anything!"
The upperclassmen herded the newbies off the ship. The storage area was already mobbed, a long line snaking out as kids retrieved their suitcases.
We'd had plenty of time dropping them off, but now everyone piled in at once—seniors and freshmen mixed. Squeezing through those hulking upperclassmen with my small frame was no joke.
Only one way in a pinch.
Charge!
Jayden!!
Gandbik Island, surrounded by sheer cliffs on all sides. Fierce currents swirled eternally around it, allowing access from only one point: a narrow channel where raging seas miraculously balanced. Passing through that treacherous gorge lined with massive rocks revealed a colossal fortress in all its glory.
A massive gate sealed the island's entrance, with heavy walls stretching up to the clifftop citadel. Dense lights flowed along the gentle slope like a river of fire.
"That's Eldmier…."
I tilted my head at Rupert's murmur.
"That's Eldmier?"
"Yeah, my brother said it's the fortress at the island entrance."
"Huh."
A magic school that looked ready to rain cannon fire—like a coastal bastion defending the isle.
"The terrain says it all. Probably doubles as a fortress. Hell, maybe that was its original purpose."
"Makes sense."
I nodded at Jayden's solid point.
"Alright, let's prep to disembark. Stand around gawking and we'll get swept away in the crowd."
Splash—
Half-crushed in the throng while admiring the view, the massive galleon thudded against the stone pier.
Stepping onto the dock, glowing stones embedded in the ground sparkled like jewels under the sparse streetlamps, lighting the path. And there, in the distance—a familiar shape.
"Isn't that a bus?"
"Yep, buses. Can't expect us to lug all this up there on foot, right?"
"No, it's not that…."
Sudden genre shift? Sailing on a galleon, now buses. Not quite arcane punk—fusion punk?
Rupert chuckled softly at my disappointed look.
"Carriages would be atmospheric, but try loading everyone here? The pier'd be buried in 'em."
Couldn't argue with that pragmatic reality.
Nine buses lined the pier. Grade-separated loading was familiar to anyone past toddlerhood, but alien to these kids gathered for the first time.
"Where we sitting?"
No assigned seats—just pick what you want.
"Anywhere's fine for me."
Short ride anyway.
"Back row then?"
Rupert eyed the five-seater rear, factoring in Jayden—but it was taken. Despite hurrying, the buses were already buzzing.
"You and Jayden sit together. I'll grab my own spot."
He and Jayden had warmed up enough. No point cramping Jayden solo; better pair 'em. But me and Rupert? Picturing Jayden stuck with some stranger was too vivid.
Sacrifice yourself.
One small kid wouldn't crowd anyone much.
"Hey, mind if I sit here?"
I approached one of the lone stragglers like me—a small, quiet kid.
"Uh, yeah, sure."
Jackpot. No awkwardness as we leisurely watched the scenery roll by.
The students gone, the Asphodel Ship prepared for a brief slumber till its next voyage.
Ding—
A beautiful silver-white wave of magic swept gently from the masthead, caressing the vessel. Like a giant bird folding its wings, the sails rolled themselves up neatly onto the yards, stacking layer by layer. The flapping din faded; tightly bound, they hung like thick rope bundles from the masts.
Where the graceful swan had furled its wings, the deck fell silent as crew tidied ropes amid the dying wind's echo.
"What's this now?"
Following the slap-slap, an eel writhed amid the ropes.
"Snagged crossing the boundary? No fish around here—poor bastard's unlucky."
A crewman, eyeing a snack after ages, reached to grab it.
Slap—
"Huh?"
Splat!
"Gaaahhh!!!!"
As the crewman lunged, the startled eel sprang, latching onto his face.
"Gaaah, damn it, fuck!! Gyaaah!!!"
He screamed, clawing desperately at the thing glued to his face. Only after twisting it off with both hands did it come free.
Panting from the searing pain on his cheek.
"Huff… huff…."
Onlookers rushed at the commotion. His buddy arrived first—and shrieked.
"Kyaaah!!!"
Blood streamed down his neck. A chunk of cheek gouged out, exposing red-stained teeth and gums.