Instead of speaking, the man pulled something out of his coat pocket. He held it for a moment, as if hesitating then handed it over to Theo. The blonde lad took it and turned the eyepiece over in his hands, noting the long, thin, white crack that now ran down in the middle of the lens.

Seeing it sent a pang through his chest, but at least no pieces had fallen out. He let out a crestfallen sigh nonetheless.

"If you want, I can fix it for you." The box headed man said out of the blue. Theo blinked and stared at the odd man for a couple of minutes. He wasn't all that willing to give something so dear to him just because he said he could fix it, but seeing the crack made Theo feel guilty.

A few more moments of hesitation, Theo held the monocle to him and the box headed man plucked it out of his fingers with such gentleness, Theo know right away he could trust the man with his prized possession.

He watched as the man hummed to himself, muttering something foreign and soon enough, Theo felt his eyes almost bulging out of its sockets when light started emanating where the crack was. Something, like magic, laced though it, the pieces reassembling like a puzzle and gluing themselves into place.

Then the man gave it back to him, where it gleamed for all the world like it was brand new. In awe, Theo took it back and turned it over looking for any flaws but found none.

"Th-This... this..." Theo stuttered, stunned to silence before he grinned in relief. "Thank you so much."

"It's really important to you, isn't it?" The man asked.

"It was from a magician I met by chance." Theo explained, holding the monocle up in front of his right eye with the grin. "I don't know much about him but because of him, I made a best friend and had a secret base with him."

He still remembered the day. A young man wearing a flamboyant magician costume, luring him and another boy with braces and heterochromia eyes to an abandoned theatre where all the magic and miracles happened. That magician brought them together and cured of their loneliness, he brought colour to their dull worlds.

Then at once, his mood sank when reality struck him once more.

"But... my friend moved away and I never saw the magician again." Theo said, half of him wondering why he was confiding it to a box headed man. Perhaps it was that he didn't look human that made it easier to say, but whatever was said and done, the truth was the truth. Theo was all alone for the next eight years.

There was a long pause of silence and Theo didn't know whether the box headed man was thinking, waiting for him to continue, or downright sleeping. He couldn't tell when he had no face but soon the man started squatting down a bit where the flat surface of his face was level with Theo's. The blonde lad figured that he was trying to look at him in eye level.

"Let me tell you in one secret." Box Head Man said.

Theo gulped. Something about his voice turned wise all of a sudden, and it made him feel nervous. The Box Head Man however, didn't do anything that seemed frightening. He just pointed to the monocle in Theo's hand.

"That monocle, is magical." The Box Head Man said. "It's deactivated for now but once activated, it will protect its owner. It doesn't have the power of swords has, but it is easy to conceal and can find weak spots in your enemy's barriers. It takes a clever and special person to activate it. I have a feeling you are pretty clever and special and that magician knew it too."

Theo didn't know how to react to that. First, the monocle was actually a magical item? A magician actually gave a magical item to him? Second, while it sounded like a compliment, Theo couldn't help but feel it was some sort of warning as well, like a prophecy he should take heed to.

Knowing he should perhaps react but also knowing he was not the best with words, Theo pocketed the monocle and gave an enthusiastic nod toward the man, hoping it at least looked he appreciated it.

"Anyway, follow me." The man said, walking towards the door. Theo shuffled after him when the man stopped in his tracks, causing Theo to almost trip and land face first into the man's back.

"Also..." The man started, turning around to face him. "No matter what you do, never look back. That's a rule you must never break in Arcadia, got that?"

Theo frowned to himself, a sense of déjà vu chilling him down to the bone. The guy with those multi coloured eyes warned him of the same thing in the carnival. Once again, he knew it was related to what they call 'Shadows', but just what exactly was that?

Regardless, he continued to follow the box headed man out of the room. They passed through corridors and went down stairs of what seemed to be the school Flint had talked about earlier.

Theo felt his breath being taken away just how vast it was for it was five times bigger than his old school. If anything, it looked more like someone made a school out of a mansion out of boredom.

Once they stepped outside, he was taken aback that it was dark, hinting him that he must have slept most of the day after the chaos that unfolded. Judging from the darkness, he estimated that it was close to two or three in the early morning.

The second thing he noticed was the greenery and the trees around him, as if the school was located dead center in a forest. The trees was so tall and thick, he could not imagine anybody ever been living in there. Other than some distant lights flickering here and there, it was too dark to see anything.

However, much to Theo's amusement, the man's box head let out a soft, fuzzy glow in the dark, so it wasn't easy to miss him as he directed the blonde lad through the forest.

After around five minutes of walking, they stopped at a cabin that was the size of a soccer field. Theo noted that there wasn't anything special about it and he was surprised to find himself a bit disappointed. The cabin was no different from the one he went to with his mother on barbeque nights, only larger.

For some reason though, the lights were on. Were his soon-to-be roommates still up at this hour?

"Go on." The strange man said, gesturing to the door. "Get in to your new home. Your mother had already packed your stuff and sent it here."

Theo blinked. "...What?" When had she done that? And why?

"All in good time." The man said, taking note of his bewilderment. "I am sure your roommates would be delighted to see you. One of them goes by the name of Psyche, and that child is your Scabbard. Now go."

The box headed man gestured, giving his back a gentle push, which caused him to stumble forward. He was hesitant to step in and took one last glance at the box headed man who, despite having no face, seemed to reassure him.

After taking several deep breaths, Theo turned towards the door and turned the knob before stepping in.

Inside, was a spacious room filled with five bunked beds. Beside the corner left bunked bed, was one large luggage that was bulging out so much, he wondered what in the world were the contents inside.

Common sense told him that it belonged to him and he had his mother to blame for over packing so much. After all, his mother had no limits in everything, always going full on out for every single simple task that sometimes it was more annoying to Theo than it was admirable.

On top of the left bunked bed, he caught sight of someone sitting with his back leaning against the wall and his hands at the back of his head, relaxing. However, upon seeing Theo, the stranger stretched his arms and smirked at him.

"The unfortunate bloke who got this cabin, so you are. Been waiting here for ages. Ain't no ticket back bro."

Theo stood there in silence, contemplating how to answer him who, he noted, spoke in a funny way. During that process, he took his time studying his roommate.

He was pale, so pale that he could make Snow White jealous. He looked Asian, but Theo wasn't hundred percent sure. He wore a black beanie hat that covered his ears, and eyebrows.

He wore a long sleeved shirt, jeans, sneakers and gloves. The only skin Theo saw from him was his face, which had some sort of childlike appearance with those golden eyes.

There was something magical about him which Theo couldn't quite put his finger on it when, it hit him like a bolt out of the blue. Flint had said something about him earlier.

"...right after the wake-up that elf klank'll and that Scabbard'll help you."

"You are an elf." Theo said aloud before shutting his mouth. It was supposed to come out as a question but somehow it came off as a statement instead.

He feared that his roommate was going to be offended at him within seconds, but the stranger did no such thing. The elfin just blinked in surprise, shocked for a few seconds and then he smiled as he crossed his legs.

"A strange Lillin, aren't you?" The elf said.

The unfamiliar word made Theo frown. Lillin, he would have to make sure to figure what that meant now.

"...How exactly am I strange?" Theo asked with genuine curiosity.

By then, the smile on the elf grew broader and cheekier, as if Theo was entertaining him. It reminded him of the guy with the top hat but Theo suppressed the anger that boiled soon after. This elf was not that guy, they are not the same people.

"Usually when newbies arrive, they don't accept things on the go." The elf said, resting his chin on his palm. "Throw a fit, most of the time and spouts some religious klank, this and that for a couple of days. Know one who fainted on the spot, I do. But handling it well, you are."

By then, Theo was sure the word 'klank' was something that wasn't taught in kindergarten. He had a hard time figuring out if he liked his roommate or not since he resembles the guy he met in the carnival. Both had that mysterious like aura, both were somewhat secretive and Theo didn't want to deal with that kind of person again.

Also, he was kind of talking like that green figure in Star wars so Theo can't tell whether to really like this guy or to be feel insulted. After a long pause, he decided to take a chance.

"Well if my life is about to be thrown into a world where insanity makes sense and logic does not, then might as well be a mad man to blend in and get over it eh?"

Silence, and then...

"That's the most dumbest thing a Lillin say, I ever heard..." The stranger said.

The rebuke hurt Theo a bit but he saw the stranger's lips tremble, as if he trying hard to hold back his laughter. Theo found himself smiling when the stranger failed and let out a hearty laugh.

This stranger didn't seem all that bad, like certain ex classmates he knew. Nonetheless, seeing that he succeeded in setting a good impression, he introduced himself.

"Hugo, the name is." The elf answered with a sincere smile. Theo grinned and was about to ask something, but soon forgot what he had in mind when a familiar ringtone started playing.

Frowning, he walked closer to the bed under the friendly elf only to do a double take once he realized that it was his phone that was ringing. What's more, a picture of his mother was flashing on the screen.

"Better pick it up, you." Hugo said, leaning over to look, a pained expression on his face. "Some Lillin had been calling nonstop for hours straight. Can't take it any longer, my ears. Am half deaf already, pretty sure."

Theo let out a nervous laugh and flashed Hugo a quick apologetic smile before picking the phone up which was like a bomb that would blow up any second. Considering that his mother was calling, he mused that the resemblances was uncanny.

He was hesitant to answer because his mother had a tendency to react in ultimate passion whenever something doesn't go her way. Although, he knew procrastination would only delay the inevitable, not escape from it. Therefore, with utmost reluctance, Theo pressed the answer button.

"THEOBALT! YOU LITTLE PIECE OF SH-

"Hello to you too, Mom." Theo cut her off, trying to extinguish his mother's fury as soon as possible.

"You! You brat! Why the hell didn't you tell me where and when you were going!" His mother yelled that made Theo wince.

At the corner of his eye, he saw that even Hugo cringed with the place where his ears were quivering.

'His ears must be sensitive to sound...' Theo deducted before replying.

"I am sorry Mom. I... didn't know how to break it to you and... well I was depressed and-

"Huh? What? Why would you be depressed?" His mother interrupted, confusion evident from her tone.

Theo blinked, the tension deflating like a punctured balloon. A part of him wondered if they were on the same page or not. He has a haunting suspicion that they were not.

"Mom?"

"I don't understand." His mother continued. "Why would you be depressed about getting accepted to Arcadia High? The most prestigious but well known boarding school around the world?"

"Ah?" Theo said, his eyes widening more and more by the second. Above him, he heard Hugo snickering away.

"Oh baby boy I am so proud of you!" His mother spoke up, a dramatic change occurring in her tone. "I feel it was just yesterday that you were a baby in my arms but now you are all grown up, going to a school which only a selected few can go."

"Uh... yea.." Theo answered, giving in to the flow.

She was already very much into the idea of him being in a school with high reputation and he was way too tired to mull over how ridiculous the conversation was going anyway.

About two minutes later of clearing up misunderstandings, assuring that he was fine and he would remember to do the important tasks such as brushing his teeth, Theo hung up and sighed. Hugo then burst out into fits of giggles before leaning over his bed frame, wiping a tear at the corner of his eyes.

"Sounds lovely, your mother."

Theo gave a dry smile of sarcasm before resting his back on his bed. Then, to his utmost horror, he saw Hugo's head pop into his view.

The rational part of him told that Hugo was holding the upper bed for support as he used his body weight to look down where he was but the irrational part of him feared that he was going to fall. Although, judging from the looks at it, Hugo seemed to have done this a million times before.

"Strange, you really are." Hugo said, raising one eyebrow, which looked very odd from the angle Theo, was looking at.

"Not asking why your mother thinks you are in a normal school, how come?"

This time its Theo's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Because I already know the answer to that."

"Do you?" Hugo asked in a challenging tone.

"More or less." Theo hummed. It was obvious to him.

The school he got enrolled in is trying hard to prevent any exposure to the world where everything is 'normal'. If something like magic were to be present in the world he was born and raised, he knew it would cause chaos, like what he did back in the carnival.

In short, Theo knew that reality is harsh and according to it, magic doesn't exist. Since it does though, it breaks the laws of reality and Theo could only imagine what the consequences would be if it were exposed.

He had a feeling that both the box headed man and Flint made up a believable story to his mother and convinced her to let him stay in the less-than-normal boarding school.

"I heard there were two people in this cabin." Theo said aloud, all of a sudden remembering what the box headed man said.

"Ah that bastard Psyche." Hugo said with a bitter tone, startling Theo. After all, just a moment ago Hugo seemed to be chipper and happy go lucky. What had sparked this sudden foul mood?

"Stay away from that brat, you better. He's gonna kill you before he's gonna save." Theo gave the elf a blank look who now had a scowl etched on his features.

"But... Box head told me he's my... Scabbard... Whatever what that is." Theo then saw Hugo's golden eyes widened in surprise before it gave him the look of pity. If this was supposed to make him panic, it didn't work because it baffled him more than ever.

"Well my friend, the worst luck ever, you have."

Author's note: Well this was actually one half of the second chapter but it was too long so I split it up '^^ I give my thanks to Contrariwise again for proofreading this chapter. Even so, if you noticed any mistakes or out of place information that we overlooked please notify k?

Updated in 22 January 2016

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