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7
THE BEAUTY HIDDEN BY SECRETS
~OPHELIA~
“Here is your sector, ladies. This side on the left is designated for you two. The suites on the right will be assigned to two male elite students. Shared spaces will be the main kitchen, lounge area, and mini theater, and you’ll share the corridors that lead to the Main Library and the Professor Lounge.”
Amy, our guide, has been taking us around N.M.U. since we signed our acceptance papers.
Which surprisingly was two hours ago.
Exploring Nephilim Malevolence University was going to be a trip in itself because this place was massive. I felt like we’d just entered a whole new country.
Since the term ‘Years’ wasn’t used to define the length of time a student remains at N.M.U., Amy explained that Arcs are used instead. Arc One is defined as six months, which is the average allotted time it takes for many students to get enough experience to advance to the Intermediate Level. Once we reached Arc Two and Three, we’d be given the privilege of learning how to fly—literally, fly in the forsaken sky—which would make sightseeing and exploring N.M.U. a lot easier.
That only revolved around the University. It didn’t include the gates that lead to the realms of Nephilim and Malevolence.
We’d had a brief moment to review the curriculum at N.M.U., and I was both terrified and fucking excited about what was in store for us—from the basic classes of Dark Arts and Magic History to the tougher classes that would test our skills and gifts. The brief glimpse confirmed that most of my classes matched Blair’s, which meant I wouldn’t be the “smart-ass teacher’s pet” who always sat in the front row because the back was always taken by the “cool” kids.
Can’t wait to be the talk of the school.
As usual.
It was the one thing I despised about the school education. Obviously, it wasn’t the administrators’ duty to eliminate bullying, but what an annoying trip to make to the office whenever I beat the shit out of students for ‘attempting’ to bully me.
All because I’m a smart-ass, cocky Guinevere with no filter.
“Hisssss.”
We turn our attention to Ophira as she slides off of Amy’s shoulders to roam around the floor.
“Shouldn’t we stop her?” I ponder as we watch her slither away.
“Oh, don’t worry. Our Gilded Serpent knows the entirety of N.M.U.,” Amy declares happily. “She’ll show up whenever she feels like it. You guys named her Ophira, yes?”
“Yes,” we reply with an exchange of a look. “We… didn’t tell you that,” Blair points out.
Amy just laughs.
“I have Seer qualities. All the guides of the University do. Please note that I’m assigned to this sector and can aid you throughout your time here at N.M.U. Once you advance and get the approval to venture into the Nephilim or Malevolence, I’ll be the one to open the gates and allow your entry,” she reveals. “Think of me as your longstanding guide and aid. If you get injured on campus and are unable to heal your wounds, feel free to summon me. I do have limitations, which include being unable to interfere during trials or examinations, but if an unexpected occurrence happens and one or both of you are injured, again, you may summon me simply by saying my full name.”
“Which is…” I inquire.
“Oh, right! I didn’t formally introduce myself,” she giggles. “Amy Hellrose. I’m one of the Senior Guides of N.M.U. and have been doing this for twenty years.”
“TWENTY YEARS?!” We gasp in surprise as we look at her from head to toe.
She looks no older than eighteen.
Her laughter is soft and melodic, like Blair’s.
“I get that a lot. You’ll come to realize that most of N.M.U. staff are much older. The previous requirement to work at Nephilim Malevolence University was thirty-five years of age. As you can imagine, N.M.U. is well known for its immense knowledge and wisdom surrounding the dark arts, specifically in the realms of fae and dark fae. Gathering this knowledge must not solely be due to being born into family heritage or community that feeds one with loads of sacred information,” she explains.
Clapping her hands, a burst of shadows ignites from her palms, creating a whirlwind that shapes into a rectangle, similar to a blackboard. We watch with great interest as designs and letters emerge as she further explains her point.
“When N.M.U. was first created, even the younger students who scored immensely high through their years at N.M.U. were qualified to work and become professors. However, there are a lot of dangers surrounding the youth when it involves black magic. The younger one is, the stronger their magic is. Also, depending on the individual, some can tap into infinite energy levels. It’s a trait that’s either genetic or obtained. Such a rare skill is very dangerous for someone who lacks control, especially when dark magic relies heavily on the Users’ emotions,” she elaborates.
“You’ll learn this in Dark Arts and History, but a young professor got upset with a set of students who enjoyed bullying him for years. The professor had taken eons to graduate from N.M.U., so those students enjoyed using such circumstances against him in mockery. With the university being the entity that decides when one is ready to depart and enter the real world of tainted magic, you can only imagine the level of bullying an individual would receive if they stayed here for ten-plus years.”
