Unbound: The Call of Power

Chapter 01

The driver glanced up at the woman sitting in the backseat through the rear-view mirror.

"Is she really just 30?" he wondered to himself as he took in her appearance. Her hair was black and wavy, resting just past her shoulders. She had big, beautiful dark brown eyes. Her skin was dusky, with some remnants of acne scars; the bane of puberty. She didn't seem to be too tall, and he pegged her for being about 160 cm with a curvy figure. She was not what he would call beautiful, but she was easy on the eyes.

Wearing a simple button-down shirt and jeans, her hands were resting on her legs in a tight clasp. Not that he was checking her out, but he was curious as she stared out the windows with an intensity so palpable, he almost wanted to reach out and touch it. He could not help but notice that she looked like she had seen more than she should have at her 30 years.

As he looked up at her again, he was caught off-guard as he saw her watching him. He nodded at her through the mirror as she stared at him for a beat longer before looking out again. She may seem human, he thought, but he certainly felt the undercurrent of power she subtly exuded. When they had informed him to pick up the 30-year-old new human hire; she was not what he had expected.

"Well, then again, that's none of my business", he shrugged off his curiosity, as he began the climb up to the school.

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Maya gazed out of the car's windows, barely registering the heavy downpour outside. The patter of the rain on the car was soothing as she tried to collect her thoughts. 

"This is a good move", she told herself, working hard to convince herself.

The Independent School for Arts and SuperNatural Studies (ISAN) was prestigious and the best one of its kind in Asia. The school's human front was The Independent School for Arts and Social Studies (ISASS), though Maya was sure there were not many students that were admitted from the human population. Likewise, Maya knew she was hired as a teacher as she was one of the few humans who knew about the existence of the SuperNaturals.

The school itself was part of a large organisation, The Order of Peace (ToP), that ran and managed most of the SuperNatural community's activities in all of Asia. The Order was run by a council of high-ranking Elders from the different SuperNatural communities and they believed in peaceful co-existence between humans and SNs, as they were known for short.

They had set - up schools and training institutions in most of the Asian continent where SNs were taught and trained in various fields. One could walk into any hospital; police station or lawyer's office and they would be sure to find at least one SN amongst the humans. The ISAN held higher standing among all the institutions as this was where all the Council members were trained, and it was the only school that had a Training Programme to train the SNs in combat. After all, it was from this school where the Protectors were groomed.

She recalled the extensive checks that had gone into her hiring, the declarations she had to make and the many interviews she had to clear before she received the official offer letter. Thinking about the whole process, Maya could not help but wonder if the rumours that the Sword of Light was guarded within the school, under the watchful eyes of the Protectors was true. She recalled her mother telling her about the Sword of Light as a child - about how it was used to lock the Portal that contained the demons in the underworld. She knew demons existed, and that there were those who had chosen the side of good but was it possible that there was an entire community that only wanted the end of life - humans and SNs alike?

"We are here, Miss".

Maya jolted back to reality, as the driver's voice cut into her thoughts. She looked at him, momentarily confused as he motioned to the door. Slowly stepping out of the car, she felt her breath catch in her throat as she looked up at the enormous structure in front of her. The car had stopped at the lobby of the magnificent building, and as she looked about her; she saw beautifully manicured lawns with a central fountain. In the far distance to her left, she could see other buildings, and, on her right, she could make out a line of trees.

The driver brought her bags over to her - a luggage and a huge sling bag; and she grabbed her things, still marvelling at the magnificence of just the main lobby. She barely registered the car driving away as she slowly made her way up the stairs into the building. As the automatic doors opened, a whoosh of cold air hit her face and as she stepped in, Maya could not help but think that the school had something in common with her.

After all, they both harboured secrets of their own.

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"That's it! State Library Victoria!"

The administrator glanced over at Maya who was staring back at her, absolutely mortified. She hadn't intended to yell it out, but it had been nagging at her ever since she had stepped out of the car.

The school's main building reminded her of the library in Melbourne. She had never actually been there before, but it was on her bucket list of libraries to visit. She glanced around furtively at the other administrators at the registration area, but no one seemed to pay her the slightest mind.

"That's right, the founders certainly did draw some inspiration from the library" the administrator smiled, walking over to where Maya was waiting.

"It's so beautiful and alluring, and yet the inside is completely modern".

Maya looked around the waiting room. The administrators were seated behind counters, in a semi arc and in the middle were sofas and chairs for visitors to wait. The whole room was encased in glass, the doors fitted with card - access and doorbells. Only staff could use their passes whilst all other visitors had to ring the bell, and allow to be let in.

Looking out the glass, Maya could make out another room on the opposite side. It looked to be a security room of sorts. The glass was frosted, and she could not make out anything more, except tall men dressed in suits moving in and out the room; occasionally talking into the headsets in their ears. She couldn't help but hold back a smirk as she thought them akin to the Men in Black, like the movies.

The lobby itself was a semi - circle with a grand staircase in the centre, leading up to the upper levels whilst there were doorways on the left and right sides leading to the other parts of the school. She also noticed that both sides had lifts to the upper, and possibly lower floors.

Maya broke out of her reverie as she completed a turn and came face to face with administrator. The administrator looked at her expectantly and Maya cleared her throat as she looked at the folder in her hands. Charlotte, her name's Charlotte, she reminded herself.

"Ms Maya, we have finished processing all of your documents. Please take this file and go on up to the fifth floor to the Dean's office. Dean Chinh prefers to meet all the staff hires personally. Just pass your file to his secretary once you are there. After you are done, you can come back here, and we will arrange for a security personnel to escort you to where you will be staying. I will come along to orientate you as well."

Maya took the file from Charlotte, barely processing what she had just heard. She hadn't expected to have to meet with the Dean. She felt a slight surge of panic, and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.

Charlotte held out a name card holder with her staff pass already inside and fitted with a lanyard.

"This will be your staff pass, and it grants you access to most places with the compound. You can use this to access the places you need to go, including your room."

"However, there are 2 rules you must never break", Maya looked up from her staff picture as Charlotte looked her in the eye, dead serious.

"Never attempt to access a room that is off - limits, and never lose your pass".

Maya was certain a chill would've run down her spine, if the room wasn't already cold from the air conditioning.

"Well then, I will see you again once you are done with the Dean. Head on up, and I will inform them that you are coming", Charlotte smiled brightly at her before turning to walk back to her counter.

Maya shook her head, as she took the lift. She had planned on keeping as low a profile as she could. All she could hope for was that the Dean takes no special interest in her, and that the customary meeting goes fast and uneventfully. 

Walking out of the lift, she realized that the entire fifth floor was dedicated to the Dean's office. The layout was almost like the lobby, albeit a smaller size and sans the staircase. There were 2 large double doors in the spot of the grand staircase, and Maya presumed that to be the office. The centre walkway was carpeted, and on both sides of the aisle were glass panelled offices, where she could see staff working.

As she walked down the hallway, she spotted the secretary's workstation along with a cozy lounge area. One thing was for sure - she couldn't complain about the chairs. At least they were cushy and comfortable, she thought as she sat down after passing her file over.

There was a sort of quiet bustle of the day and it added to her restlessness, as she watched the staff. She couldn't stop herself from shaking her legs while she waited for the secretary to let her know when to enter.

As if on cue, she came out and smiled at her.

"Follow me, Ms Maya", she led the way as and opened the doors for her. 

Maya stopped outside the open door and let out the breath she didn't realise she had been holding before walking in to meet the Dean.