Harmonia Academy

Chapter 3: First Encounters

Leonard stood alone by the window, gazing at the magnificent panorama of the magical realm beyond, his heart brimming with curiosity and a tinge of bewilderment. He longed to dive into exploring the enigmatic academy immediately, yet uncertainty paralyzed him—unsure where to even begin. With a sigh, he decided to unpack his belongings minimally, placing his journal carefully on the nightstand as if it were his sole link to the past.

Stepping out of his room, Leonard ventured down the corridor, its crimson carpet thick and plush underfoot. Ancient portraits lining the walls murmured in hushed tones, their eyes tracking the newcomer with unsettling curiosity. Leonard felt immersed in a colossal, living museum, every step shrouded in the unknown.

Descending several flights of stairs, he arrived in a chamber resembling a common room. Plush sofas and armchairs clustered around a crackling fireplace, while time-worn tapestries adorned the walls. Students in robes of varying hues—azure, emerald, scarlet, and gold—mingled in small groups, their conversations peppered with arcane jargon incomprehensible to Leonard.

He recalled Eric’s mention of Harmonia’s elemental factions: Aqua for water, Terra for earth, Ignis for fire. The gold-robed students, however, remained a mystery to him. Hesitating, Leonard debated approaching them but felt like an intruder, his discomfort compounded by their appraising stares.

Opting to retreat, he roamed the labyrinthine corridors in search of a map or guide, but the castle’s convoluted layout—a serpentine maze of chambers—soon disoriented him. Slumping against a cold stone wall, frustration gnawed at him. The magical world he’d imagined, once thrilling, now felt daunting.

A faint footfall echoed behind him. Turning, he spotted approaching—shorter than Leonard, with tousled black hair, freckled cheeks, and wary, distant eyes. His tattered emerald robe bore no faction insignia, striking Leonard as odd.

“New here?” the boy rasped, halting before him.

Leonard nodded sheepishly. “Yes. Leonard Eldridge. I… seem to be lost.”

The boy’s gaze flickered, a fleeting complexity in his expression. “Gareth Blackwood,” he introduced himself, gesturing to Leonard’s unmarked sleeves. “Haven’t been sorted yet?”

“Not yet. Arrived this morning.”

A mocking smirk twisted Gareth’s lips. “No wonder you’re wandering. This place isn’t exactly… intuitive.”

“Are you a student?” Leonard pressed.

“Technically.” Gareth’s reluctance clung to the word, as though the title chafed him.

“Could you show me the library? I need to research the academy.”

Gareth’s scrutiny sharpened. “Libraries aren’t exactly… hospitable to newcomers like you.”

“Why not?” Leonard frowned.

“Plenty of… noble students there. They prefer avoiding… mongrels like us.” The self-deprecating rage in his tone was palpable.

“Mongrels?” Leonard echoed, bewildered.

Gareth hesitated, weighing whether to elaborate. Finally, he exhaled. “You’ll learn soon enough. Come on—I know a way in.”

With that, he led Leonard through a warren of corridors, deftly evading patrolling ghosts and professors. Though slight, Gareth navigated the castle with eerie familiarity. They halted before a weathered wooden door.

“Side entrance,” Gareth murmured, pushing it open. “Less traffic. Quieter.”

The library’s grandeur exceeded Leonard’s expectations. Towering shelves, crammed with ancient tomes, exhaled the musk of aged parchment and faint magic. Students in colored robes occupied secluded desks, maintaining a cautious distance from one another.

Leonard observed their territorial divisions: Aqua students dominated window seats, their haughty whispers echoing; Terra students huddled near entrances, stoic and reserved; Ignis and Ventus factions scattered elsewhere, their laughter punctuating the silence. Gareth guided Leonard to a secluded corner table, where they sat—the mysteries of faction divides and Gareth’s cryptic warnings lingering like unshed magic.

"You asked me earlier what 'mongrel' means," Gareth said calmly, his gaze fixed on Leonard, though the latter could still detect a hint of bitterness underlying his words.

Leonard nodded, genuinely perplexed by the term.

"In the magical world, racial lineage matters greatly," Gareth began to explain. "Pure-blooded elves, werewolves, vampires, etc., typically hold higher status and possess greater magical power. But someone like me, born of parents from different races, is labeled a 'mongrel' and subjected to constant discrimination and injustice."

Understanding dawned on Leonard regarding the reluctance in Gareth's tone. So this was how the older student existed on campus—as part of an ostracized group.

"Then... Which two races are you mixed with?" Leonard inquired cautiously.

Gareth glanced at his hands, a fleeting melancholy flashing in his eyes. "My father was a werewolf, my mother human. In the eyes of pure-blooded werewolves, I'm a stain dishonoring their lineage. To those haughty elves and powerful vampires, I'm just worthless scum."

Silence fell. Leonard didn't know how to console Gareth. Though he himself was half-elf and half-werewolf, he hadn't yet experienced such discrimination, but he understood that sense of isolation from being unaccepted.

"Is... Is the academy like that too?" Leonard asked.

A bitter smile twisted Gareth's lips. "Slightly better, since the academy advocates diversity and inclusion. But racial divides and prejudices persist. Different factions rarely interact. Pure-bloods stick together, while mongrels like us huddle for warmth or stay under the radar."

"Factions?" Leonard frowned. "Are there many factions here?"

"Yes," Gareth confirmed. "Harmonia Academy divides students into five main factions based on elemental affinities: Water, Earth, Fire, Wind, and Star. Each has its own color, dormitories, and exclusive courses."

"Which faction are you in?" Leonard pressed.

Gareth gestured to his dark green robes. "I'm not assigned to any. Mongrels like us usually end up in special classes for basic magic theory and practical skills. We're barred from the core elemental factions."

Indignation stirred within Leonard. Such unfair treatment based solely on bloodline felt profoundly unjust.

"Earlier you mentioned blue for Water, green for Earth, red for Fire, white for Wind... What about yellow?" Leonard asked, recalling students in golden robes he'd seen in the common room.

"Yellow belongs to the Star faction," Gareth clarified. "Typically comprised of students with special talents or noble bloodlines—like pure-blooded elves."

Leonard nodded, remembering how Professor Themis had commented on his resemblance to his mother, an elf. Would he be assigned to a faction? Or, like Gareth, face discrimination for his mixed heritage?

"When you said the library isn't a place for someone like me, what did you mean?" Leonard pressed again.

"Those pure-bloods, especially the Star faction elves, prize blood purity above all," Gareth murmured, lowering his voice. "They hate 'mongrels' like us showing our faces here, thinking we defile this sacred space. Sometimes they even deliberately pick fights."

Leonard's brow furrowed. He hadn't realized racial discrimination existed so virulently in the magical world.

"Then why bring me here?" Leonard asked.

Gareth shrugged. "You need to know this place, don't you? And they don't always chase me off. As long as we keep our heads down and don't disturb them, they usually leave us be."

He picked up a thick book from the table and handed it to Leonard. "This is the library catalog. See if anything catches your interest."

Leonard accepted it, the cover etched with mystical symbols he couldn't decipher. Flipping through, he found a dazzling array of titles spanning magic theory, history, potions, herbology, alchemy—each book a portal to mystery, igniting his curiosity.

"What section interests you most?" Gareth asked.

Leonard considered. "I want books on magical history and different races. Also, anything about elves and werewolves?" He longed to understand his parents' heritages.

Gareth nodded, pointing to entries in the catalog. "They should be in this area." He stood and gestured for Leonard to follow.

Navigating rows of towering shelves, Gareth led him to the history and race section. These tomes were visibly older, some covers faded, pages yellowed with age.

Leonard scanned titles: Advanced Curse Theory, Ancient Runes Deconstructed, Fantastic Beasts Compendium, Alchemy's Arcana—each promising secrets. He picked up Ancient Elven Magic, flipping through pages of lyrical yet cryptic script.

"Many are written in archaic tongues, not easy to grasp," Gareth warned. "But there are modern translations here too. Keep looking."

Leonard nodded, returning the book. His eyes lit on Origins and Evolution of Werewolf Clans, its cover a snarling wolf's head, radiating power. A thrill pulsed through him as he reached for it.

Before he could open it, commotion erupted nearby. Looking up, he saw blue-robed students approaching, smirking unkindly.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Gareth muttered, his eyes flashing resignation and vigilance.

Leading them was a tall, blond boy with piercing blue eyes, his azure robe embroidered with a delicate water droplet—clearly Water faction. Behind him, two more blue-robed boys glared contemptuously at Gareth and Leonard.

"Well, well, if it isn't our mongrel Gareth," the blond sneered, his voice carrying just enough to draw stares. "Bringing another 'friend' to defile our sacred library?"

Gareth paled, fists clenching, but remained silent.

Leonard frowned, shocked by the blatant prejudice. He looked at Gareth, about to speak, but Gareth shook his head—don't engage.

"Cassius, we're just reading. We're not bothering anyone," Gareth said evenly, though his knuckles betrayed his fury.

Cassius snorted. "Reading? Mongrels like you defiling our noble tomes? Don't waste your time—skulk off before you taint the air."

Leonard's anger surged. He started to rise, but Gareth restrained him.

"Don't, Leonard," Gareth whispered. "Not worth the trouble."

Leonard's heart ached seeing Gareth's helplessness. He hadn't realized the daily indignities Gareth endured.

"Cassius, that's enough!" A clear, furious voice cut through. Leonard turned to see a blue-robed girl striding toward them, face alight with indignation.

Cassius's arrogance faltered slightly at her approach, though his voice still dripped contempt. "Vivian Illyria, this doesn't concern you. Stay out of it."

Vivian Illyria? The name struck a chord with Leonard.

Vivian stopped before them, fixing Cassius with steel-like resolve. "The library belongs to all students. You have no right to expel them. And your words are inexcusable—apologize."

Cassius's face darkened. He seemed wary of her. After a moment's hesitation, he grudgingly spat, "Fine, let's go," and stormed off with his cronies, shooting venomous glares over their shoulders.

Turning to Leonard and Gareth, Vivian's features softened into a warm smile. "Are you alright?"

Leonard nodded, gazing at this brave, striking girl, gratitude swelling in his chest.

Gareth looked equally surprised by her intervention.

"I'm Vivian Illyria," she extended her hand to Leonard.

He shook it, her grip cool yet firm. "Leonard Eldridge. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she smiled, her radiance sunlike. "At Harmonia, we should support each other." Turning to Gareth, she added, "Don't let Cassius get to you. He's all bluster."

Gareth rubbed his neck, a grateful grin spreading. "Thanks, Vivian."

Watching them, Leonard felt a surge of warmth. Though his magical journey had just begun, he'd already found allies. He believed he'd carve his place at Harmonia—and uncover his past.