Wiggin Academy and the Forbidden Curse

Penelope and Mako ate in silence as Aiden forked his food like a spear, his eyes were sullen and although he’s always quiet, they knew something was wrong with the way a tired sigh would escape his mouth every couple of minutes. Penelope tried to make fun of his fancy lunch and even offered her orange juice, but nothing worked.

Mako glanced behind her and spotted Damian’s smug little face laughing away with his friends and forgetting about the burden his willow inflicted on Aiden, she knew he was the cause of Aiden’s glum mood, and she despised him for it.

“Aiden,” her hard tone got his attention. “Damian’s wrong.”

“No, he’s not,” said Aiden. “My family is a disgrace, and everyone hates us,” his eyes landed on Penelope whose face paled with guilt. “And you know what the worst part is,” he glanced at Mako. “I can’t find any reason for why they shouldn’t.”

Mako knew exactly how Aiden felt, she was always an outcast by her classmates back home, they played and practiced alchemy without her and she never found a reason for why they should include her, since she feared her our power too. But now, she felt differently; Professor Wiggin, Penelope and Aiden all brought her back to herself, they awoke a part of her that had died a long time ago.

“Come on,” said Mako as she pulled her legs from under the bench. “I know what’ll cheer you up.”

Aiden looked at her solemnly, “you do?”

“Yes,” Mako grabbed Aiden.

“Where are we going?” Penelope asked as they turned a corner.

Aiden’s mouth dropped open and he clapped his hands together. “The library!”

Mako laughed and was glad her prediction was spot on, Aiden dashed into the massive chamber whilst Penelope’s head slung low, although she didn’t utter a single word of complaint, she stayed quiet and let Aiden have his fun for today.

“You know this is the only school with the largest collection of sacred artifacts,” said Aiden. “Many secrets are held in these books that were written by legends, some even by our headmaster.”

“Really,” said Mako sounding impressed.

Aiden dashed off with Penelope to the large shelves with books thicker than tree trunks. Mako wandered inside with her eyes scanning the mighty library, and it was truly a sight to behold. Shelves after shelves were lined up and loaded with books, the other side had small group tables with a few older kids huddled and studying quietly, unlike Penelope and Aiden who were causing a ruckus.

Mako turned the corner to find a larger centre desk, behind it sat an old man with hair as white as snow and a black pair of circular spectacles that sat on a hooked nose. Mako spotted the golden name plate that read; Librarian Merlin.

His dark eyes were averted and concentrated on a book, he didn’t even bother to see if anyone was waiting for him. Mako got out of the line and walked around the desk to find that the library worked all on its own. Books were being placed by themselves and any garbage was thrown away by flying dustbins and dusters. Mako navigated around the small fountain and found flat screens with a few students passing by them. Curiosity swept over her, she approached the screen and saw a slot that instructed her to insert a card, she pulled out the card her father gave to her so carefully and inserted it, moments went by, when suddenly the screen lit up and greeted her. Mako saw her student picture and the count of how many books she read, which was still at zero. There were a few regular textbook options but the one that interested her was the green button that allowed her to browse through the collection of books to help her with alchemy.

Mako tapped the screen and it took her to new display with a small list, she found three books on Black smoke alchemy and decided to give them a try later, when suddenly, she got another idea, she quickly exited and searched for the history section, but when she got there she didn’t even know how to begin scavenging through the millions of options, she panicked and logged out. Mako trudged back to the front desk and gravelly called out for the librarian.

“Excuse me,” she called out but he still didn’t notice her. “Excuse me, Sir!”

He irritably looked at her with a deep frown that was meant to scare her away. “Did you need something?”

“Yes,” she answered firmly enough that he had no choice but to listen. “I need to find a book on the Battle of Pentagram.”

He looked startled. “And why do you need that?”

Mako didn’t know how to answer that. “I just wanted to read it,” she said not sounding convincing at all.

His brow arched. “You’re that black smoke user, aren’t you?”

Mako froze. “Yes,” she answered.

His head tilted. “Follow me,” he climbed off his precious seat and strode through the columns. He turned right, then left and then another right, they came to a full stop at a lonely shelf at the back corner. “Here you are,” he said as he pulled out a book covered in dust.

“Looks like nobody read this one,” said Mako as she chocked on the flying particles.

Merlin pushed his glasses higher. “Not many are interested in the darkest time of our age,” he said as he handed her a book with his long slim hand.

Mako examined the poorly bound book, the spine was unravelling and black cover had almost turned grey from age. “I’m not interested,” she said. “Just curious.”

“You should be,” he said. “This war is the reason there’s only a few black smoke users left.” Mako stared at him blankly and his interest grew. “You didn’t know, huh how interesting.”

“Thank you for helping me,” said Mako.

“You can borrow it for however long you like, no one reads it anyways,” he said before he strode off with his green dragon scale cloak flowing behind him. Mako slipped the book in her bag as she approached Penelope.

“You got a book,” Penelope sounded horrified.

“Yeah,” answered Mako. “Where’s Aiden?”

“I don’t know,” said Penelope irritably. “He ran off somewhere leaving me here with his precious stash of books.”

Mako dropped her bag alongside Penelope’s and they both went looking for Aiden. It took them a few minutes to reach the end of the library where it was darker and creepier, there were no chandeliers back here except for some flickering lamps, the eerie section even had a metal chain closing off the area but that seemed to be the only thing blocking them off. And there was no sign of their friend.

“I think this is the section my brothers told me about,” said Penelope.

Mako looked at Penelope puzzled.

“No one is allowed to come back here,” she said before Mako saw a light in Penelope’s eyes flare on. “Hold on, I know a great way to cheer Aiden up.”

“Er-”

“Just hear me out,” interrupted Penelope. “Imagine the look on his face when he gets his hands on a book no one else has ever read.”

Mako didn’t need any more convincing. They both jumped over the metal chain and wandered into the restricted section like thieves. Mako didn’t really notice this before since it was usual for her alchemy to act out, but an odd electric shock zapped through her body when she passed the forth shelf, she paused and noticed that a book was left on the table.

“If no one is allowed back here,” she whispered, “why is there a book out of place?”

Penelope slightly paled. “Why you gotta scare me like that, but that is a bit weird,” she whispered back. “Maybe the headmaster came by.”

“What are you two doing?”

Mako and Penelope gasped but they didn’t panic because they recognized that voice. It was Aiden.

“We were looking for a book,” said Mako.

“In the classified section,” exclaimed Aiden.

“We thought you’d like a book no one has seen,” said Penelope.

“Get out of there before you get caught,” scolded Aiden. “And who thought of such a wonderful idea?” Aiden voice was dowsed with sarcasm. “Don’t even answer that-” he held up his hand. “I have a feeling it was you,” he looked at Penelope accusingly.

“I was just trying to make you feel better,” said Penelope.

“How kind of you,” he remarked. “But how would I feel if you got detention or worse.”

Penelope spent a moment to think. “Hold on, even if we got detention you wouldn’t come with us?”

“No,” Aiden instantly answered the question that sounded crazy to him. “I can’t ruin my perfect record. Anyways, let’s go, we should get started on our homework since we’re already in the library.”

Penelope groaned and so did, Mako.

“How did I become friends with him?” Penelope asked boisterously.

“You chose the two weirdest kids out of all the new students, Penelope,” said Mako.

Penelope laughed hopelessly and they both followed Aiden back to their seats. Mako didn’t take out the book Merlin gave her because she didn’t want to upset Aiden again, so she zipped up her bag and waited until she returned to her room to read it.

“What’s the Devil’s Seal?” Penelope asked as she flipped through the smallest book for their research assignment.

Mako leaned over and saw an intricate photo with a small passage written on the side. A beastly image of a red monster was sketched out perfectly, it had demonic yellow eyes that flared with intimidation even though it was merely a picture, and it had massive horns surrounded by black hair. The creature stood with heavy chains wrapped around his thick muscled forearms and his tongue was blood red and over five-inches long.

“Once this seal is preformed it can never be undone,” read Penelope out loud. “So, tread carefully or else the horrors that will befall onto your realm will be detrimental.” They all froze from the darkly grim warning that seemed to be the only thing written on the page.

“The Devil’s Seal is a spell from the ancient Kuro Clan,” said Aiden. “Before they went extinct, their last work was the summoning of a greater demon who could steal your soul.”

“I didn’t know there was such a thing,” said Mako.

“This type of alchemy is forbidden,” said Aiden. “No one expect the Kuro clan were able to practice it.”

“Why just them?” Asked Mako.

“I’m not sure,” said Aiden.

Penelope leaned in, “All my mom told me was that the Kuro clan was killed off because their alchemy was reaching a level that no one else could even begin to imagine.”

“This is the first time I’m hearing of this,” said Mako. “People feared someone else before the Black Smoke users that’s a surprise.”

“People didn’t just fear them,” said Aiden. “The Kuro clan was admired and worshipped by many great warriors.”

“Who killed them?” Mako asked them.

“I heard they gave up their souls and returned to the light,” said Penelope.

“That’s what the folktales sing,” said Aiden. “But they were massacred by the dark one.”

“Great, him again,” remarked Mako with a deep sigh that Penelope and Aiden copied.

“We should get going,” said Penelope. “It looks like the library is closing for tonight.”

Mako and the others exited the library and made their way down through the long passageway without much thought, until something peculiar happened.