The winds of magic were heavy today. Looking out of his dormitory window, Theo Serrano rested his chin in the palm of his hand, while his elbow leaned against the windowsill. Lightning flashed along the curtain wall, and in-between the bouts of light, thick tumultuous clouds could be seen carving up the earth. Tendrils of dancing vortexes trailed along the edges of the canyon wall, churning the rock, and sand as they dissipated just outside the city limits.

It was on days like these, where most the citizens stayed inside, relying on the magical barriers embedded in the rock to keep them safe from the worst of the weather. Even still, walking outside in the streets was ill advised. 

It would be a while before the storms would subside, at the very least, Theo hoped it may help to postpone his upcoming tests. His fingers tapped the dark oak surface of his desk, every so often brushing the term papers that were his study guides. His eyes kept staring at the twisters just over the canyon wall, noticing the dense backdrop of black wind was one giant mesocyclone. 

“Still pissed about not getting to go on the expedition?” Mikes voice interrupted his thoughts.

Theo slammed his fist down, not wanting to be reminded of his application being passed over. Expeditions into the badlands were few, and far between, timed during the brief pauses in the storm seasons, and always came back with riches of the old world. Sometimes, new magical, or technological discoveries were obtained, earning the expeditionaries obscene wealth, and prestige.

The storms were worst this year, and the university had only financed a single expedition beyond the walls, to which all of Theo’s applications were disregarded. He suspected the reason, being a shadow magic user, his gifts were virtually worthless over the wall. 

“Of course, why bring it up?” Theo looked over to his roommate, and grimaced at the young girl laying in Michaels bed. 

Theo almost forgot she was there, having spent most of her time under the sheets. Once free, she crawled out from underneath the comforter, and stretched out. Her pink undergarments accentuated her rather large chest, making her breasts appear even more supple and pronounced. But despite her curvaceous figure, it wasn’t her near topless chest that most people noticed, but her lower serpentine half. 

There were few Lamia’s enrolled at the university, those few who had were particularly exceptional. Marci yawned as she finished stretching her arms, then searched for the gaming controller, stuffed somewhere underneath the covers. 

Theo turned away, his face feeling warm, not trying to ogle Marci’s half naked body. Her dusky toned skin, and dark black wispy hair made Theo jealous of his roommates fortunes. Not that he was into Lamia girls, but everything above her groin was stunningly beautiful. Hell, it was likely what she had covered up around her waist, by a pink loin cloth, was beautiful too. Even her scales were a dark glossy black color, matching her hair, and she curled up in a ball as she fiddled with the control stick.

Marci was a freshmen student, and Theo thought she was cute upon meeting her. With a narrow jawline, gentle cheeks, and smooth skin, the woman could’ve found work as a model, rather than wasting her time in the university. 

He wasn’t surprised that his roommate pounced at the opportunity to meet her. What did surprise him, was that she reciprocated his affections. Michael had spent months beforehand obsessing about demi-humans, which made him something of a social pariah. 

Mike wooed the girl with a couple bad one liners, and a couple stupid jokes. Somehow, that’s all it took! And now Marci was practically living with them. It was, technically, against the rules for female students to stay overnight in the mens dorms, or to even venture on the mens floor, but as she said, ‘its only a rule if its enforced’.

Theo couldn’t help but admit there was some wisdom in that.

“Babe don’t be mean,” Marci smiled at her boyfriend.

“Relax, when Theo gets angry, it’s best to try and make him talk. Otherwise he would just sit there, and sulk for hours.” Mike rolled over, his head resting on Marci’s scaly lap.

Marci patted him on the head, stroking his hair as the video game console booted up. Just before the start menu appeared on the central screen, Marci reached down to her phone, which was suddenly vibrating.

“What are you doing?” Her boyfriend asked.

“Sorry gotta text from my roomie, she fell asleep in the library.” Marci scrolled through her phone, then sat the controller down so she could type out a message.

“She fell asleep in the library?” Theo enquired from across the room. 

Marci chuckled, still typing on the phone screen. “She’s a night owl, stays up well into the early morning, then barely gets like four hours of sleep before class. I saw her even fall asleep in the front row of professor Hemingways seminar the other day. The old geyser didn’t even notice,” Marci laughed while finishing the story.

“Didn’t you try to wake her up?” Theo raised a brow.

“She was so cute! How could I?” Marci’s face warmed, sporting a playful smile. “The class was a complete waste of time anyway.”

“Still…” Theo rubbed his temples, not sure what to make of it.

Marci continued typing on her phone, almost completely forgetting about the game she was about to play. Michael took the opportunity to check his own phone.

Something flashed behind Marci’s eyes, and she turned to Theo with a grin. “You know you should meet her Theo! I think you would like her!”

“Why?” Theo groaned.

“She’s sweet, and smart, not to mention she’s super considerate,” Marci twirled a finger in the air while listing her roommates virtues. “A little shy though, but who wouldn’t blame her, she was in the war after all, not as a soldier but as a menial, or so I think. Truth be told she doesn’t talk about it, but I took a gander at her record, just out of curiosity.”

“Wait how could she have fought in the war? she would’ve been too young?” Michael asked. 

He wasn’t wrong, Theo knew, the last war ended five years ago, and if Marci’s roommate was a freshmen then there was no way she could’ve been conscripted.

“For our side maybe?” Marci included.

For our side? Theo felt his stomach drop at the realization.

“Wait than that means—”

“Ahem—“ Marci cut him off. “Don’t interrupt me darling.”

Theo’s face felt warm, a little angry at being rudely cut off, also a little embarrassed at how weird it felt being called darling.

“I was going to say,” Marci continued, “She’s also incredibly hot. Like crazy stupid hot! Like, almost has me switching teams kinda hot, if you get what I’m saying!”

“What…” Mike froze.

“Just kidding darling, but seriously she’s stupid hot,” Marci looked squarely at Theo with a coy smile.

“Then she has to have a boyfriend,” Theo wasn’t sure why he was even entertaining Marci’s discussion. If this mystery hot roommate of hers was on the other side of the war…that would make her a Redever. Wouldn’t it?

“Like I said she’s really shy,” Marci sighed. “She spends most her time cooped up in her room, or hiding in the corner of the library. I did get her to go out with me to the bar one night, and damn she can drink, and that was probably the only time I saw her loosen up. Theres definitely a little minx hidden underneath all those bashful layers. She’s just so shy, like a scared little kitten, whenever I try to help her meet people. Unless theres booze, I mean, but then I have to watch her, she can get unpredictable.”

“Like how,” Mike asked, not trying to sound too interested. “Is she actually a crazy seductress? Or something?”

“No nothing like that,” Marci just rolled her eyes. “She goes back, and forth between crazy happy, to super sad in the blink of an eye. I once saw her guzzle an entire handle of shine brew, recite the entire play of Shakespeares Tempest, then gush into tears because a stray cat wouldn’t come to her. It was feral! It wouldn’t come to her even if she had a full can of tuna in hand!” 

“Wait, thought you said you took her out once?” Mike perked up.

“Ok I lied, I took her out a bunch of times. So what?” Marci’s confession only seemed to depress Mike. Theo knew why, he had been wanting to go out with Marci, outside of University grounds for days.

“Why don’t you bring us?” Mike’s voice was almost pitiful.

“Because babe, women don’t get served nearly as fast when they bring their boyfriends.” Marci sat down her phone, finally picking up the game controller.

“Is that even true?” Theo asked. 

“It’s so true,” Marci’s voice tuned out. 

“You’re saying you want to get drunk as fast as you can without me?” Mike left Marci’s coiled waist, sitting upright next to her.

“One could interpret that many different ways,” Marci sounded annoyed.

“How so?” Mike continued.

“Well maybe I miss you so much I want to get drunk faster to soothe my misery?” Marci playfully spoke out.

“Then you could just bring me, seriously take us with you!” Mike’s tone was getting more desperate.

“Fine fine, but begging is unbecoming of a man.” Marci patted her boyfriend on the head, while still looking at the tv monitor.

“Now your just being hurtful,” Mike sighed, defeated.

Marci just laughed hysterically at that. “Sorry, I just love seeing you all flustered. Don’t worry I’ll text you both next time I drag my roomie for a night of fun. She needs it, poor thing, she’s all stressed out about something. I can tell. She won’t tell me what it is though.” 

Marci barely got five minutes into her game when her phone started vibrating again.

“Oh look she just texted me back.” Marci paused the game, then strobed her fingers on her phone screen. “And she left her room key, great. I guess I should head down really quick to make sure she can get inside our room, she’ll be there soon though. I’ll be back after…maybe fifteen minutes.”

“Sure thing, I need to shower anyway,” Mike grumbled, disappointed that his girlfriend was about to leave, if only for a few minutes.

Marci narrowed her eyes, offering him a delightful smirk. “Maybe one day I’ll sneak in and join you.”

Theo just rolled his eyes, while pretending to gag.

He grabbed his satchel, stuffed with text books, and walked past Marci and Mike, who were busy ogling each other.  

“Where you going?” His roommate inquired.

Theo just looked over to them, satchel tight over his shoulder. “Think I’m going to get some fresh air, maybe something to eat.”

“In this weather?” Mike leaned forward.

“Rains dying down,” Theo pointed toward the window to confirm.

Marci put the controller aside, then rolled off the bed in search for her clothes. “I better run down to my room, make sure Lori can get inside.”

“Lori?” Theo froze in mid step.

“Yeah my roommates name is Lori,” Marci flashed him a coy smile. “And she is super hot!”

Theo stopped at that, nah couldn’t be, he shook his head. 

“Mike,” Theo looked over to his roommate. “Don’t forget to lock the door when you run to the shower.”

“But then how does Marci get back inside?” 

Theo could care less. He sighed, already having his hand on the door. “Give her your key.”

Marci chuckled at that, “I promise I won’t leave you all alone in the hallway, with only a towel?”

“Don’t tease me, please,” Mike’s shoulders slumped.

“Get a shower babe, I’ll be right back, and wait for you. Maybe I’ll even wear something extra sexy for you,” Marci tongue, far more flexible than a human’s, tickled his ear as she flirted with him.

“Crap, ok!”

“I won’t be back for a while,” Theo groaned.

He slammed the door behind him, leaving the love-birds behind. The hallway was rather cold, and Theo quickly strolled down the stairway leading to the ground floor. Passing the communal lounge, he was surprised to find a dozen freshmen hanging out amongst themselves, all watching some show on the large screen monitor. He passed them by, walking outside through the dormitory’s front door, and felt the cool wind on his face. 

Outside it was still drizzling, but small rays of sunlight could be seen breaking through the clouds. As Theo took several steps outside, his mind was still distracted, making it so he nearly walked into a young girl who just so happened to be on her way inside. 

He bumped into her, her face slamming into his chest.

“Crap I’m sorry,” Theo jerked back, as the girl leapt several feet away, her tail thrashing.

He froze, noticing the horns, and the tail extended from underneath the woman’s skirt. She was indeed a Redever, one of the precious few accepted into the university. He had only seen three in total on campus, making this one the fourth, and all of them had purple or blue skin. The Redever girl he had just bumped into, however, had pinkish skin, and dark black hair that so reminded him of someone else. Bright almond eyes quickly averted their gaze toward the ground.

Her school uniform was tight on her supple flesh, leaving little to the imagination. The traditional skirt only came down a few inches, and the collared open shirt left her cleavage exposed. She had an ample abundance of soft skin to show, and Theo gulped, taking it all in. 

Why the school chose such uniforms were beyond him, other than seemingly to feed the rumors they wanted to find subtle ways to encourage copulation, if only for continued population growth. Michael suspected their alumni were a bunch of horny old men who just liked seeing the women wear a salacious parody of a more traditional outfit. Theo suspected it was more of a test, to see which men could restrain themselves, and keep true to their studies. Interestingly, the women didn’t seem to mind them, or at least, Theo never heard them complain openly about it.

The Redever girl seemed stunned, drawn back by him looking down at her. Her tail straightened, and her cheeks flushed.

“Hey, have I seen you before?” Theo asked.

“Sorry!” She rushed past him, darting through the dormitory doorway faster than the wind.

“Weird,” Theo sighed. He wandered if he had seen her on campus before? She definitely seemed familiar. 

Ever since the 14^th Redever war, Succubi were rarely accepted in human society. Even though the war ended in a mutual cease-fire. Their districts had only just started re-integrating into the city of Voxsturm. 

The war ended only three years ago, and thus the wounds were fresh. In a way Theo was happy to see the university accepting Redevers again, although he hoped she was getting along with everyone. He could only imagine how some of the students were treating her.

“Oh wait!” Theo chuckled to himself. “I guess…that must’ve been Marci’s roommate? Damn, she was right…”

Theo brushed back his dark brown hair, and continued walking toward the campus cafeteria, enjoying the fresh air, and the sounds of distant thunder from beyond the canyon walls.