I open the door to my new dorm, where I'm going to spend two thirds of my life for the next however many years and…

Well. I'd say I'm disappointed, but I actually did expect this from what I'd been told. I'm surprised it didn't come with a new pair of shoes.

Although I'd thought the desk layout might have been a bit less… cramped. Sure, there's the bunk beds, but with the study surfaces facing away from them there's barely two feet to pull out the chairs, and I'll probably be literally rubbing elbows with my dormmate.

I guess we'll see if that's a problem. No dresser or closet or anything though… I wonder where I'm supposed to put my stuff. Maybe they just assume we all have a big enough dimensional storage to not need it?

Well, I don't!

For the time being I dump my rucksack on the bottom mattress and flop down next to it. If it wasn't clear before, it absolutely is now; this space is intended for nothing but studying and sleep. Absolutely nothing else.

Even the window is tiny, it's practically an arrow slit!

…

Maybe I'll just use my bag as a pillow for now. Or my bedroll… but then I'd still need to do something with my rucksack.

Oh screw it. I toss my entire bag on the far desk…

Just in time to hear the door open in a rush, smacking against the wall and making me jump.

"Oh. That's my desk so move your crap."

I blink. "Well hello to you too."

She suddenly stops. And stares.

"What?"

The girl's lip starts slightly trembling as her eyes widen…

"No, seriously," I say in exasperation, "what?"

"T-teeth."

"Teeth?"

"Sh-sharp teeth," she stammers as she starts to back up.

And I sigh.

"They didn't tell you anything about the situation, did they? I'm Sidra but everyone calls me Sadie, hi, hello, I'm a gorgon apparently. And a half-eldra. Actually now that I think about it, I'm not really sure what I am anymore. And my System Assistant is a cute little fox thing."

…

…

"Fine. No, I'm not going to eat you. I'm not going to turn you to stone or whatever – see, anti-Skill glasses? I'm Headmaster-certified safe for the classroom. Unless you figure out some way to change rooms, we're going to be spending a lot of time together, so you should probably get used to it. I don't really care what desk I use, I just threw my bag there because I didn't see any dressers or closets or whatever and wasn't sure what else to do with it. And my dimensional storage isn't big enough for more than a couple of books so that's not an option either. And yes, my teeth are sharp, I didn't ask for that, it's just what I have. Brushing them now is a huge pain!"

…

"L-lyra," Lyra finally squeezes out. "Um. Human? I w-want to be a hero… I think."

"Well," I say, "it's nice to meet you, future hero Lyra. I hope we get along well going forward!"

…

And then something seems to strike her. "Wait, did you say your teeth are sharp now? As in, they didn't use to be?"

I sigh lightly. "No, they used to be normal human teeth. Er, Half-human teeth. I'm half forest elf."

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***

That got a strange response that ended up leading into a small discussion about the difference between normal eldra and forest elves. And to be honest… I don't really know the difference myself, other than that the latter insist they're supposed to live by that specific forest and at least claim to be directly related to some kind of fae.

Which, whatever. I don't feel like a fae and my Status seems to agree, so I'm over it.

And that sets Olive grumbling, in an adorable way only a small fae fox can manage.

"Oh don't worry, girl. There's nothing wrong with being a fae. Probably."

"Who are you talking to?" Lyra asks, pausing her process of moving a number of things from what I assume is a storage device of some kind to her own personal dimensional storage.

"Ah, System Assistant. Don't worry about it. Anyway, where did you get the storage thing?"

"The academy provides them for student use if you properly apply for one. Did they not give you the opportunity?"

Huh. That's annoying. I wonder why…?

"Nope, not a single word about it. Maybe it's because I'm a probationary student?" I ponder out loud.

My dormmate furrows her brow. "I wasn't aware of those being a thing. I guess we really do learn something new every day, but what does that mean?"

"Not sure," I shrug.

And that's when I feel the ping, before the headmaster's voice echoes in the back of my mind.

ATTENTION FIRST YEAR STUDENTS: YOUR FIRST DAY'S ACTIVITIES WILL CONSIST OF A GUEST LECTURE AND PRESENTATION BY A COLLEAGUE OF MINE. REPORT TO THE MAIN ASSEMBLY HALL BY EIGHT, AND DO NOT BE LATE.

"And that's that, I guess."

"I guess so," Lyra nods.

We spend the rest of the day preparing for actual schoolwork and loafing around our tiny room, struggling to get in the headspace for serious studying. I wonder how long it'll take me after a few months away.

***

"Do we have any idea what's going to happen here?" one of my classmates whispers, wearing an unusual headwrap in addition to his school-issue uniform.

I shrug. "Nope, no idea. It seems important though."

The murmurs continue for a few more minutes, over which I learn the boy is an olum named Dommik. The headwrap is apparently some kind of merchant class indicator, since he's the son of some kind of… well, merchant. I'm not sure how that works, but apparently they're pretty strict about social structures at Grayhaven.

And then the din cuts off sharply as the headmaster appears on the stone dais around which the student body circles. He stands in silence for a moment, a severe look on his face not much less serious than his usual formal mage's robes, before he finally speaks.

"You are all aware of why you are here," his voice booms across the large room. "Though I would consider telling you the true purpose for this assembly, I suppose I will let our esteemed guest do the honor. It has been some time since it returned to these halls, after all."

Headmaster Owyn steps to one side and gestures vaguely. "And without further ado…"

Before another word leaves his lips, a fierce pressure washes over us all, forcing some to gasp. More than a dozen small holes… tears of some kind, but in reality itself- oh. I recognize these I think… Vaguely.

From the small holes glistening tendrils snake forth, eventually meeting each other at the center of the dais before again pulling back, and with a horrifying tearing sound pull the world with them.

And from the resulting hole steps an indra woman in a dingy gray robe, its hood pulled low and its tattered hem dragging along the ground, doing nothing to conceal her bare feet.

The only part of her face exposed are the shining daggers that serve as her teeth… and those flaming red eyes, which promptly wash over the gathered students before seemingly stopping briefly on me and squinting mirthfully.

"We're going to die," I hear Dommik whisper, and his answer comes from our 'esteemed guest'.

"You are most certainly not going to die," the indra's flutelike voice chirps. "Not by my hand anyway. Not now. I suppose whether it happens later is up to you, but for now? No."

She begins pacing slowly around the raised platform. "No, I'm not here to kill you. In fact, I'm here to deliver a message, and your first few lessons. Before I begin, you all did in fact accept the geas our gracious Headmaster Bunbun here offered before entering the hall, yes? Don't answer that, I can feel that you have – it was my own magic, after all, and he simply applied it after verifying its safety. As long as you fulfill your end of the bargain, anyway."

Her companion scowls at her, but she completely ignores him.

"And what exactly is the bargain, hmm?" the familiar terror asks as she stops and angles her gaze toward the ceiling. "It's simple, really. You do not speak of this assembly with anyone outside of this class, on penalty of your hands, tongues, and eyes permanently removing themselves. And no, there is no healing magic that will restore them. You will keep your mouths shut. Am I understood? Ah, don't answer that either, I'm sure you're all well aware of the situation you're in. Mostly.

"Which brings me to my introduction. I have many names, but only one is particularly relevant now. I am the Demon Empress Nemesis, god of hunger, envy, and night. I am the locus of malevolence, which is what you are all feeling right now."

The grin that crosses her face is truly horrible. "And I am your greatest enemy – at least if you believe the gods. But what if I told you a deeper truth? One that they work to conceal, entirely for their own benefit?

"No, children. The truth, the knowledge of which has necessitated the geas, is that the eternally cyclical war between the heroes and demon lords is simply a game to them, entertainment to distract them all from their ever growing boredom."

Gasps and words of disbelief ring around me, but the demon empress raises one hand to silence them. "You don't have to believe me, not right now, but the lesson is only just beginning. And on that note… your first lesson."

Nemesis glances at Headmaster Owyn who despite his lingering scowl subtly nods, and one moment later an oppressive darkness overwhelms us all.

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