Clockwork Maiden, Literally.

The 'First' Test

--Rozenflame Magecrafters Academy, 1148 hours--

It’s been a couple minutes since I was entombed in here. The stench of dampened wood—probably the floor—caused me to feel queasy. I took a small walk around the empty room that only has one torch on the wall, of course, not a fan of dark places I am, so I took the torch to light my way!

“Gosh, this room is dark as hell…”

I walked continuously just straight up front. Why, you ask? Well, I’m not a smarty girl that would think where to go, so I’ll just go directly up front until I ran into a wall.

THAT… was what I thought at first… because right now…

“Hm… I’ve been walking for quite some time, but why didn’t I get to smack into a brick wall? Was there no edge for this room?”

Perspiration began to fall like the Niagara falls within me, I realized I’m walking further into the darkness. The void was scary; especially when the fire torch on my hand began to snuff off.

“OOOOIIIIII!!!! Anyone?! Mrs. Arc? This isn’t funny anymore! Don’t play a joke on me like this!” I yelled into the darkness.

But… no one answered.

I just hope I don’t run into some vampire made out of a stone mask. They’d rather stay in the dark don’t they? That’ll be scary. I don’t dream of getting my blood sucked, nu-uh, nope, not a chance.

*GOOOONNGGG* *GOOONGGGG*

“EH?!” I flinched into random directions. I’m surprised to hear a clock bell chime through the void of nothingness. I couldn’t find where it sourced… it felt like it was VERY close but there’s just nothing near me no matter how hard I light my surroundings with this torch I have.

Trying to fend off the rising fear within me, I redirected my attention by grabbing and looking at my pocket watch.

It’s 12.00.

Huh… short question: If it is 12.00 how are you going to greet people? Are you going to use good noon or would you still use good afternoon? For me, I’d call a GOOD NOON even it only lasts a minute.

Sigh… what am I even doing? I’m totally helpless here. But since dad has told me that this place is the best there ever, I guess I can’t complain this trouble I had. Let’s just uh… go the other way around, yeah! Right! Maybe I might stumble into a door or something… but wait, that little girl earlier locked me in here, what was she thinking, anyway?

But nevertheless I should keep on going! Perhaps I might find a way out or two, tee-hee.

Without me realizing, I had neglected the bell chime from earlier.

…

..

.

--Rozenflame Academy, Nirva’s Point of View—

The petite young girl sat in front of the door she slammed. Her silver twin-tailed hair leans back on the door’s surface. She can barely animate her emotions, thus made her expressionless. Hardly anyone can see how or what she is thinking or her feelings.

She was tasked to accompany the daughter of Chronodia family by her superior. But the meaning of accompanying the girl was actually the first test without Eva knowing. Several minutes has passed, Nirva waited near the door, she was waiting for something but it never came.

“This is taking too long.” She said softly. She held her tiny hands on her face, “did I send her into the abyss of nothingness…?” she asked herself quietly.

Nirva was actually expecting Eva to scream aloud and shriek for help relentlessly. But her thought never comes true. The girl in mention did not try to break open the door or something; it feels like she was swallowed by the room itself. Nirva’s eyes began to tremble; she knew something is going on.

“This is very odd… I must tell Madame right away…”

As soon as she gets up, she also remembered that Madame told her to keep her accompanied which means she MUST wait for her no matter what happens. She halted and thought about it.

She was the one who sent her into that room. That feeling made her trickled by fear of her never coming back. The room was known as the Dark Abyss, a room that was meant to be a first test for newcomers. Usually, newcomers would scream like they’re about to die and prying the door open with their magecraft and by that fear, they will obtain new powers that will allow them to escape the Dark Abyss by their own power.

“What am I supposed to do…?” she said softly in a flat expression, but she was actually worried.

…

..

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--Dark Abyss, Eva Chronodia, 1210 hours--

“Lessseeeeeeeeee……”

I realized something when I checked the wooden floor. It feels like the floor was afloat! But when I’m standing on it, it will gain position to steadily hold my weight over it. What kind of sorcery is this? I mean, come on! Not a chance may I found in Helmington some sort of floor tiling technology like this!

I jumped to the left and then to the right, just to see how the floor will react to my steps.

*GUBRAK

OWWWW!!! My foot, I’m STUCK!

The eighth jump made one of the wooden planks broke. Shite, I shouldn’t B-Hopping around, should I? I tried to pull my right leg out, whew, beneath the floor was so deep! I dare say that it might be deeper than a swimming pool!

“Grrr… eh? EH?!”

The floor suddenly changed form! I’m being sucked into the dark hole I made earlier!

“NOOO!!! Let me go! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to break the floor! Please! EEEYAAAAAH!”

…

..

.

I got swallowed by the floor.

When I opened my eyes, everything in my surroundings is dark, but it felt like I’m underwater, I can subtly hear watery-like noise when I move my body around. “Huh… heheheh… at least I can move my body freely.” I said gladly. But in reality, I was freaking out, I can’t see a damn thing, it’s all dark and empty. I feel like I’m sinking even deeper into this darkness… and probably it will be hopeless for me to go back.

I tried to swim upwards, hoping that I might be able to return back. But no, the further I go, the more this void sucks me. Knowing that my attempt was futile, I let go the entire weight within me and let the void send me floating in the darkness. If anyone can see me here, I might look like some dead cold victim that was thrown into a river by a serial killer, heh…

Ooh… I wanted to turn back the time… that’s the only way I know to return things the way I wanted it to be. But if I don’t do that, I might sink here forever—well I can still breathe in here, though… BUT! I don’t want to be stuck in here… a little pain might not be so bad… I hope.

I repositioned myself into a standing-like position. I know I didn’t bring a pair of my silver gloves which should’ve been a catalyst for my magecraft… but I still had my belt. Alright, then… here goes!

“Please don’t harm me, Mr. Red Cross… I just want to get out of here!” I hold my right hand into my chest, pressing it. I began chanting and my belt lit up once more. The darkness is swayed off by the glimmering light from my magic circle that resembled a clock. Here goes nothing, then!

[Clockwork Phase One – Time Re—

*ZWWWOOOOOOOOSHHHH

“Errrgggg…” I quickly held my chest with both hands and closed my eyes. I prepared for the terrible pain…

But there was no pain inflicted… I don’t know was it lucky or what, my magic was stopped half-way completion due to me reflecting to what happened previously.

…

I opened my eyes… in front of me a shining red light sourcing from no other than the Red Cross appeared before my eyes. It was activated? But I wasn’t hurt by it…

The Red Cross looked like it’s staring into my soul… its red light radiates within the cross edges.

…Trying to alter the timeline continuously even after being cursed…

…Truly a tenacious maiden you are…

An echoing voice was heard… it sounded familiar… who’s voice was it? Huh…? The voice… it came from the Red Cross?!

…Either you’re being persistent or you’re just being plain stupid…

…This… is my final warning: do not return back in time…

…Or your pitiful life… shall end maliciously… Clockwork Maiden.

“W-Wait, Clockwork Maiden? What are you talking about, hey!!!”

*ZWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSHHH

The Red Cross radiates a blinding flash, before rushing back into me. I felt like I was shot by a crossbow, the arrow bolt stabbed my heart in the speed of sound. It’s painful. But there was no blood drenching out.

I hold my chest roughly; the aftermath of such pain is too much. Why am I being tormented for doing my own magecraft…? What have I done wrong? Those are the questions I hope I might be able to find soon, because I don’t understand a thing at all.

Even in pain, I fully-realized that the Red Cross was preventing me from casting the first magic of my magecraft: The Time Return.

As long as this Red Cross is implanted within me, I won’t be able to do anything to change situations should things go south.

Soon, I realized that I’ve returned back into the dark room I was previously sent to. The torch was on the floor but its fire is still active even though small. I can see the door from before… it’s quite close… there’s a big clock beside it that showed 14.35.

“Heh… how odd… what a strange place…” I tried to maintain my consciousness, and yes, I did manage to do it quite well, despite the recent suffering I went through.

I hope Mrs. Arc would explain to me about this… strangeness… not only that… I hope she knows about the Red Cross.

I brought the torch with me and walked into the door and realized that there was no doorknob on the door. I also realized that the door’s color was different now… it’s… in ruby color? Huh…

Give me a break please? I had enough craziness for one day…

Sigh…