Claw Academy

Everything was hazy.

I couldn't see anything but the cold gray ceiling while being carried by someone. My head moved towards the front, my eyelids half open. There were vines around, faint glowing orbs, floating small creatures I have never seen before, moving freely as their wings fluttered around.

"Are you sure about this Sir Lake?" My vision was blurry, but I can tell it was Ms. Kase's voice.

There was a long silence, but I heard him sighed and then answered.

"She can help us."

Ms. Kase started removing the vines on a certain part of the wall. As she parts the vines open, I saw a huge wooden door in front of us.

"Look after the company, Wolfgang." His cold voice uttered.

"Yes, I will."

The last thing I saw was Ms. Kase, bowing her head down as she looked at me with a worried face.

Then the door shut behind us.

My eyes flung open the moment I saw where we are in. I thrashed violently but his grip was firm. I shut my mouth tight, stopped myself from inhaling to keep living.

I never knew I'll found myself in the middle of a vast ocean, carried by none other than my CEO as he walks down a long staircase that stretched widely up until the deep dark abyss.

The lamp hanging on his arm shines radiantly as we get deeper and deeper.

My eyes twitched in horror the moment I saw thousands of sea creatures I have never seen before. They kept spiraling around us, watching closely as if we were a spectacle to be seen. Weird noises surrounded the waters, never letting the blue horizon left in silence.

But then I found myself having trouble in breathing. I can't last anymore!

I grabbed my CEO by the collar, signaling him to move faster. His forehead creased and started walking faster.

My eyes beamed when I saw the end of the long staircase. But I was thrown into confusion when I saw nothing at the end. The staircase just stops there but there was nothing but darkness.

Losing any inch of hope, I shut my eyes slowly as my consciousness slips away. 

 ///

"Are you sure she's still alive?"

Suddenly, my eyes flung open as I felt something warm brushing my lips. I quickly sat from the cold ground I was lying in, coughing repeatedly to expel all the water I've absorbed. Within a split second, I think I saw my CEO sighing out of relief in a corner as he brushed his wet hair back. But I closed my eyes quickly as the blinding light hit me.

"Bound her now!" I heard someone whispering and then two identical guys started dragging me on a chair. They were all wearing business attires, too. They have slick back brown hair with a pair of almond eyes. I squirmed and tried to move, but my legs were too wobbly I can't even stand on my own. They tied my arms and feet as I tried to fight the dizziness I was feeling.

"The papers, quick!" Slowly, I felt recovering as my vision started to get stable, finally adjusting to the light. We were currently in a small empty cold cottage. My eyes shifted on a guy with disheveled hair, a pair of emerald eyes, holding a bunch of papers walking hastily towards me.

He held my right hand and pressed my thumb on a stamp pad.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" I shrieked as he held my arm tightly, forcing me to put my thumbprint on the papers. I fought back and gritted my teeth hard, not letting him win. No way I'm going to let hi-!

"He kissed you!"

"What?!" I exclaimed as a guy pointed at my CEO who was staring at me with his lifeless eyes, leaning on the stone wall. He was no longer wearing his suit. His white polo was folded up until his elbows, some water still trickling down on his jet black hair.

"Hot."

"What?" The guy crouching in front of me asked. I quickly went back to my senses the moment I remember he was forcing me to sign some papers. Since I was distracted, he finally succeeded.

 There was no point in arguing so I just let him be as I lean on the chair, rolling my eyes.

"Congratulations, you're now a citizen of the Claw Region and school is just about to start." The guy who just forced me to sign a bunch of papers announced as he nodded on the twins. The two identical guys started to remove the ropes binding me. They didn't even let me breathe one second and started dragging me somewhere.

"Hey, I know you three!" I exclaimed as I remembered who they are. Including Ms. Kase, they are the panel interviewers who didn't let me answer even a single question.

The twins were holding me in both arms as the guy with disheveled hair positioned himself behind us.

"Let's go." Our CEO commanded and lead the way out.

The moment we exited on that cold empty cottage, tall trees welcomed us. I turned my head from where we came from and saw a sign hanging on the wooden door. It was called "Portal". The guy with disheveled hair was left behind as we walk at a fast pace. I saw him whispering something and then the cottage vanished into thin air.

"What did he do?"

"He closed the portal." One of the twins answered as we kept walking. I started feeling cold as the damp wind brushed on my skin. My business attire was still wet just like my hair.

"Oh, sorry I forgot!" The guy who was left behind shouted. He snapped his fingers and just like that, I found myself dry once again.

"That's cool!" I remarked.

"Where are we by the way? And what are you? I mean, what kind of creatures are you? Why do you have fangs and why don't I have?" I asked the twins, still finding it unfair.

"We are currently in the heart of the Claw's Northern forest."

"And we are alchemists. The guy left behind is a wizard."

"We do not have fangs, the employees left on the company have, just like our CEO because they are werewolves."

"And you simply do not have because you're a Chamber."

The twins beside me answered alternately.

"I'm done!" It was the disheveled-haired guy, following us behind.

"By the way, what are your names?" I asked as we trudged along the vast forest, birds chirping, crickets singing, the scent of leaves making the air fresher than what cities have to offer. It's such a perfect time to make friends!

"He is Levi Howl,"

"And that's Levy Howl." 

They answered making me confused than ever.

"Ugh, I really can't tell who's who. Mind helping me out?"

They looked at each other and started laughing. I don't know why they're laughing but I just went along and started laughing, too.

"You'll find out soon." The guy behind us mumbled. "I'm Flynn Silver."

"We're here." Our hot CEO announced, making everyone stop.

It was an abandoned train station in the middle of the forest. I looked up the signage hanging but it was blank. We climbed up on the wooden platform as a conductor greeted us.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen, where to?"

"Claw Academy." Sir Lake answered.

The conductor gave each of us a ticket as our CEO paid him with an unknown currency. He grabbed the megaphone hanging on his waist and started announcing.

"Passengers from the Northern Forest, to Claw Academy." As soon as he ended, we heard a loud noise coming from a train.

It stopped in front of us and the moment I took a step in, the whole surrounding changed.

I found myself in front of a long narrow bridge, swaying slowly as the cold wind passes. I gulped nervously as I look down, only to find the roaring waves of an angry river.

"We're running late."

Hearing his cold voice made everyone walk with hurried steps. I crossed the bridge with my eyes half open as I screamed violently from time to time. Mother of cow! The bridge was swaying intensely I almost got carried by the strong wind! The others only laughed at me as they walk comfortably.

I let out a sigh of relief as soon as I finished crossing that horrible bridge. Now we are currently in front of a huge metallic gate. It was so enormous I looked like an ant in front. There were two tall stone pillars on each side.

I wanted to rest for a minute because I felt exhausted from all that screaming but one of the twins immediately grabbed my arm. We parted with the others who went into the right huge pillar while we were on the left.

There was a small metal door on the pillar. I flinched out of shock when a small window suddenly open, a slit purple eyes glaring intensely on us.

"Enrollment forms?" Judging from the voice, it was an old woman.

Levy or Levi, I'm not really sure, whispered something in the air and two envelopes emerged from her right hand. The other one was sealed with dark brown wax while the other one is white. A symbol, which looks like three claws were embedded on it.

"I'm sorry, when did I enroll in here?"

"You just signed the papers a while ago."

"You mean I was forced to." I retorted.

We went inside and I can't help but to gape as I saw how spacious it was. There were uniforms hanging on the walls and it looks like a store hadn't it been for the other girls inside, shamelessly removing their clothes and wearing the uniforms without even paying.

"Is that allowed?" I asked but then I screamed in terror the moment I saw Levy or Levi stripping in front of me.

"A bra?!"

"Yes, Levy Howl is a girl." She said as she put on a dark brown suit. There were words written in gold in the left, "Tier Three". The right side is where the logo of the claw is embedded. Her bottom is a black and gray pleated skirt just like everyone else.

"So, do I just pick whatever color I like?" I asked, referring to the suits since it varies in color.

"No, you need to find what's the right one for you." She answered as she pointed to a certain section. There was a name written above.

Of course,

Chambers.

"Mother of cow, why does it look so flashy?" I complained as I stared down at myself. I looked around and I was the only one wearing a white suit.

"Can I ask, why Tier Three?" I asked. Levy told me I belong to Tier Three just like her.

She started explaining as we walk towards the narrow dark hallway. I don't know how she managed to see amidst the darkness so I just held her hand tightly, afraid to get lost.

"Tier Three means those twenty-two to twenty-three of age."

"Oh! I'm twenty-two, how about you?" I asked. I can tell we were nearing the exit as a faint light started to blind my eyes.

"Same! Guess we're besties!" She responded cheerfully.

I was about to say 'Sorry, already have a bestie, Paisley', but I remained silent since she might leave me here in the dark.

I inhaled the fresh air as soon as we got out of the eerie hallway behind us. My mouth flung open as I stared at something spectacular.

It was a huge stone castle. Students walk freely on the castle grounds, some were flying on mid-air, some were casting spells.

I don't know why, but I found myself smiling.

Everything felt nostalgic. Familiar.

"Harper Williams," Levy beamed at me and flashed a genuine smile.

"Welcome to Claw Academy."