Professor Leylon

All the key people for the trip finally gathered. Once that meeting with that incessant Chancellor ended, EE-Thirty had taken up to speaking to Leylon. He enjoyed their intellectual talks. It was a debate on the purity of the soul and whether or not an aged soul maintains the same integrity as a newborn soul. 

Such interesting stuff. He’d be in a fantastic mood, if it weren’t for his daughter’s awful glare toward EE-Thirty and her companions. The others didn’t seem too conversational, but alas, they were just bodyguards to EE-Thirty. 

She was a beautiful woman. Although a little too skinny, she was also the epitome of feminine grace. He couldn’t help but feel a bit heated. He shook his head.

EE-Thirty was a respectable woman. He was still too childish.

Leylon made a note to chide himself later.

Him and his daughter. 

Why when something good happened, she’d be there to ruin it with her foul mood?

He supposed teenagers were like this. Always so rebellious. 

Spirits know he was like that once. Hell, he was probably even worse. 

As a father, Leylon thought this was a perfect opportunity for Veronica to flourish her career. As a teacher, he thought she was squandering every possibility for betterment. 

He was also worried as to why Veronica would continue to glare at EE-Thirty. Leylon knew that her unique species were able to see things others couldn’t. 

Leylon wanted to speak to Veronica to understand her. It’s been a long time since they’ve seen eye to eye, especially ever since he barred her from making unnecessary contact with her mate. He had the best of intentions though.

He definitely didn’t want a repeat with what happened with Veronica’s mothers. That must never be allowed to happen again.

Even if his precious daughter hated him.

There was hope though that maybe someday, she’d understand why he was so stifling towards her. It wasn’t out of disdain, but out of love.

Hope. That’s all he had left between him and his daughter.

*****

Eleanor Deveena

Finally, the day of the trip had arrived. Her suitcase was practically stuffed with every ‘essential’, as Eleanor would describe it.

Knowing what Eleanor stuffed in the case, Elsie could only scoff at her. She ignored her best friend’s clear attempts to dissuade her from carrying this much stuff, with the logic that, “Having beauty is a constant job.”

The redhead could still hear her tomboy friend’s disapproval, even after they were a bit of fair distance apart from each other. 

Eleanor finally laid eyes on the ship that would take her to her dream place. A place full of research and wonder. 

The ship itself was ginormous. It was state-of-the-art, with a mana engine Eleanor could sense was a dozen generations above what her country could create. She was very happy about that too, since the journey to the caverns at sea was going to be difficult. The only thing she was dissatisfied with was her inability to read the inscribed runes on the bulkhead of the ship.

She heard shuffling behind her. Turning back instinctively, she saw EE-Thirty staring at her. The thin cheekbones of the elf unnerved her.

“Those runes say ‘Vadstena’.” She said matter-of-factly.

“O-oh, I see, thanks,” Eleanor stifled a shiver. While she had respected and practically adored the science the Sanctuary researched, something about the elves they sent to tag along with her on her journey gave her goosebumps.

In fact, she had no idea why they were so giving. Certainly, Eleanor had the highest chance of becoming the next Royal Sage, but the Sanctuary was notorious for not indulging in politics of any kind.

At least, until now.

So why her? Why this? Why now?

She felt a bony hand wrap around her shoulder. The hard fingers lightly pressed against the black fabric of her mage uniform. “Are you nervous?” EE-Thirty asked. Her voice had a slight mixture of musk and otherworldly beauty to it. Eleanor felt at odds with herself whenever she heard that voice - she couldn’t help being attracted yet repulsed at the same time at the Elven representative.

“You can say that,” she tried her best not to flinch.

“Do not be, Miss Deveena. You are safe amongst us Sanctuary.”

Us Sanctuary? 

Michael Hernold

Michael had huge self-esteem issues. Although he was fortunate enough to enter the Academy and even the council, Michael never felt at home with himself. He always felt ‘nerdy’ and ‘gross’. 

He experienced notions of panic. What if everyone that looked at him thought he was disgusting? What if they gagged upon gazing over his pores? They were awfully big, to the point they looked like holes on his face.

At least that’s how he perceived himself and others.

That’s why whenever he developed a crush, it would hit him especially hard. That day Veronica smiled so sweetly at him and made Michael’s heart bump furiously in his chest.

He never noticed until then how beautiful she was. Michael wanted to woo her. He wanted her to hear him, to acknowledge him.

Unfortunately he was far too awkward to go about it normally. Hernold needed external help.

The young man turned to a book from one of his father’s collections. Standing in front of the Sanctuary ship, he sneaked in a book of dark magic into his coat. It was a book solely of soul binding spells, but the spell he wanted - a love spell, he needed a power source.

He had an inkling the Caverns would have what he needed.

Michael clenched his free hand and vowed in his heart, “Veronica will fall for me. She will be my wife.”

It was quite unfortunate that this goal of his was nothing short of a fool’s errand.

Veronica Leylon

 

She felt shivers down her spine. Her nose twitched a small waft of dark magic reached her nose. It was faint and asleep, but it was there. Did something follow them to the Vadstena?

If it did, it must’ve done so unconsciously. The stench wasn’t strong enough to be an active dark spell, but lowering her guard because of that was a fool’s gambit. She had to search for whatever that thing was. 

Veronica was not about to let whatever foul influence near her beloved mate. Never. She’s going to make sure she gets her happy future with Eleanor, and that involved marrying her and having enough halflings to fill an academy. 

Hm, since she’ll be the one getting pregnant, I should probably start dedicating myself to healing magic. She’ll definitely be glad I did.

But first, she had to get rid of whatever thing followed them aboard the Vadstena.

For a moment, she felt a pair of eyes on her. Turning instinctively, she noticed Michael’s horndog gaze. Her lips curled in disgust as she quickly looked away. 

Finally, the deck lowered, with EE-Thirty going through first with her escorts right behind her. “Come in, I’ll give you a tour of Sanctuary’s state-of-the-art ship.”

Eleanor, Elsie, Michael, Veronica and her father prepared themselves, bringing their suitcases into the ship. Unbeknownst to them, this journey was going to change everything, and they were on a collision course with a being of inexplicable madness.

And love.

Prologue Arc: End

Second Arc: The Caverns of Love: Start