Chapter 11 Book 1 Fellow Students
A new idea, born of desperation and courage, sprang to life in her mind. She had to act now, before they made their move. She had to neutralize them without a fight, without anyone getting hurt. She knew she couldn't kill them, and she didn't want to. But she could make them harmless.
Xu Mei leaned her head on Mr. Han's shoulder, a silent signal that she was pretending to sleep. Mr. Han, ever the gentleman, took a small, folded blanket from his bag and placed it as a pillow for her head, his gesture a simple act of care that fortified her resolve.
With her eyes closed, she focused. Her telekinesis, a quiet, invisible force, stretched out from her, weaving through the air, unseen and unheard. She felt the neck of the first man, the soft skin, the delicate arteries. She felt the second man's temple, the thin skin, the vulnerable bone. She felt the third man's, too. She was precise, careful, and quick. A gentle, but firm, pressure. The men stiffened, their bodies going rigid as the force impacted their necks and temples. Their eyes rolled back, and they slumped forward in their seats, unconscious.
She didn't stop there. With the same silent, unseen power, she felt for the ropes that they had brought to tie her up. She pulled them out of their bags, unwinding them with a practiced ease. One by one, she wrapped the ropes around their ankles, their knees, and their wrists, tying them tightly to the seats. She found the gags they had prepared, and with a flick of her mind, she stuffed them into the men's mouths. They looked like three bizarre, sleeping travelers, their faces hidden by their hoods, their odd posture easily mistaken for exhaustion. No one else on the train noticed a thing.
Xu Mei let out a long, silent breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her heart was still pounding, but the fear was gone, replaced by the excitement she felt using her powers. She had done it. She had neutralized the threat without shedding a single drop of blood.
The train journey continued, the rhythmic clickety-clack of the wheels on the tracks a calming lullaby. A few hours passed in this manner, Xu Mei occasionally checking on the sleeping men, making sure they were still tied and gagged.
At the first major train stop, a bustling station in the town of Willow Creek, Xu Mei knew it was time. As the train came to a complete halt, she focused her power. With a quiet hum in her mind, she lifted the first man out of his seat. His body swayed in the air, his feet moving in a strange, unnatural dance as she guided him toward the exit. She made him look like he was walking, a strange, drunken shuffle, as she pushed him toward the platform.
A few passengers on the platform looked at the hooded figure curiously. "Look at that guy," one of them said. "Must've had too much to drink."
"Poor soul," another woman commented, shaking her head.
Xu Mei ignored them, her focus absolute. She 'walked' the man to the edge of the platform and let him go, his body crumpling to the ground. She quickly went back and did the same to the second and third men, her movements so precise that she was back in her seat before anyone could notice.
Soon, the train was a distant memory. On the platform, a pair of town guards had approached the three unconscious men. They poked at them with the butt of their spears, discovering the ropes and gags. A quick search of their clothes revealed their true identities.
"Anti-Magii coalition," one guard said, his voice laced with disgust. "They're getting bolder. Bringing this kind of trouble to our town."
"Tie them up properly," the other guard said, his voice grim. "Take them to the station. Let's see what they were planning."
After traveling for many hours, Xu Mei and Mr. Han alighted the train in Misty City, a bustling metropolis with towering buildings and a faint scent of salt in the air. The city was a whirlwind of sights and sounds, a sensory overload for a child who had only ever known the quiet simplicity of Hollow Town, Holy Hand Orphanage. A horse-drawn carriage took them through the busy streets, the coachman expertly navigating the throng of people and other carriages.
"Here we are," Mr. Han said, his voice a quiet goodbye. "Dock 4. This is where you'll wait."
Xu Mei looked at him, her eyes welling up. "Thank you, Mr. Han. For everything."
"It was my pleasure, little one," he said, his hand ruffling her hair. "You'll do great things, I know it. Remember what Director Anya said. Be brave, be kind, and always remember us."
He handed her a small, neatly wrapped packet. "Just a little something from the children. A farewell gift. They all pitched in."
Xu Mei held the packet tightly, a warmth spreading through her chest. She watched Mr. Han turn and walk away, his large figure disappearing into the crowd. She felt a pang of loneliness, a sudden awareness of how truly alone she was in this new world.
She sat on a wooden bench, her small bag beside her, and waited. Dock 4 was bustling with people, merchants selling their wares, sailors shouting orders, and the constant sound of the waves lapping against the pier. She opened the packet from the children. Inside, there was a small, beautifully carved wooden bird, a tiny sparrow with wings that seemed to be in mid-flight. It was a simple gift, but it was filled with so much love that it made her heart ache.
As she held the bird, her gaze fell upon a small group of children huddled together near the edge of the pier. They were dressed in strange, matching uniforms of dark blue robes with silver trim, unlike the simple clothes of the other people around them. They had wands tucked into their belts, and their eyes, even from a distance, seemed to hold a certain kind of light, a magical light that she had never seen before.
"They must be magii," she whispered to herself. She felt a pull, an instinct that told her they were her people. She decided to get closer, just to listen.
"I can't believe it's already time to go back," a boy with tousled brown hair and a confident air was saying. "Summer went by too fast. I wanted to stay and explore the Ancient Ruins near my town a little longer."
"Oh, lighten up, Rong," a girl with fiery red hair and a bright, infectious smile replied. "We'll be back soon enough. Besides, think of all the new spells we'll learn in fourth grade! I can't wait to try that new Transfiguration spell Professor Alistair showed us last semester."
"I'm more interested in the History of the Dragon Wars class. You all know that dragons are rarely seen, so I hope that we can finally see one," a quiet, bookish girl with spectacles chimed in. "I heard there's a new section on the origin of the magical domes. I've been trying to find more information on it since I got home."
Xu Mei's ears perked up. They were talking about school, about magic, about spells. This had to be the group she needed. She stood up, a newfound courage surging through her. She walked over to them, her heart pounding.
"Excuse me," she said, her voice a little shaky, but clear. "I couldn't help but overhear. Are you… are you all going to the Minx Jinx Magii School?"
The three students looked at her, their expressions a mix of surprise and curiosity. The boy, Rong, was the first to speak.
"Yeah, we are. Who are you?" he asked, his tone not unkind, but cautious.
"My name is Xu Mei," she said, holding up the letter of acceptance she had been clutching in her bag. "I… I also got accepted to Minx Jinx. But I'm new to all of this. I was told to wait here at Dock 4. I don't know anyone."
The red-haired girl's face broke into a wide, welcoming smile. "Oh, that's wonderful! A new student! We're so glad you're here. My name's Lyra. This is Rong, and this is Iris."
Iris, the quiet girl, gave her a small, shy smile. Rong's initial caution seemed to have vanished. "A new Elementary Grade 1 student. That's great. Welcome to the club, little Mei. Lyra, she's not in our grade, she's a first-year. Be nice."
"I know that, silly!" Lyra retorted playfully. "Of course, we'll help you. We're all returning students, so we know the ropes. You're just in time for the new semester."
"Thank you. I just don't know how to do things," Xu Mei replied.
"Well, you are lucky you found us," Lyra said. "Since you are new, you'll be in the same year as my little brother. He's going to love having a new friend. My parents took him first to school."
"You're really kind," Xu Mei said, feeling a wave of relief wash over her.
"We're all family at Minx Jinx," Rong said, a gentle smile on his face. "We look out for each other. You'll see. It's the best school on Heart Island. The teachers are amazing, the food is incredible, and the library… oh, the library is legendary."
"You can't forget about the ghost ship," Iris added quietly, a twinkle in her eye.
"Right, the ghost ship," Lyra said, a theatrical shiver running down her spine. "Every year, the students are transported to the school on a ship that appears out of nowhere, wrapped in a magical mist. They say it's the ghost of the first headmaster's galleon, that he sails the seas to find the new students. It's an old tradition."
"It's not really a ghost ship," Rong scoffed, but even he had a smile on his face. "It's a powerful transportation spell. A very, very old one. It's an honor to be on it."
They continued to chat, their conversation a whirlwind of new information for Xu Mei. They told her about the different clans, the friendly rivalries between them, and the magical creatures that sometimes wandered onto the school grounds. It was all so new, so exciting, and she found herself completely enthralled.
Just as the sun began to set, a strange thing began to happen. A thick, silvery mist, unlike anything Xu Mei had ever seen, started to roll in from the sea. It enveloped the dock, and soon, everything was a soft, blurry haze of white. The sounds of the port faded, replaced by an eerie, quiet hush.
Lyra grabbed Xu Mei's hand, her voice a low whisper. "It's time. Follow us. And don't let go of my hand."
Xu Mei, a mix of fear and exhilaration surging through her, nodded. She gripped Lyra's hand tightly and followed the group, her heart pounding a familiar, frantic rhythm. Through the mist, a shape began to form, a large, dark vessel with tattered sails and a ghostly glow.
This was it. Her journey was beginning. A new life, a new world, a ghost ship. She was ready.