Cypress University

The Thralls of Cypress University

Three things to know about Cypress University:

Never feed the Wailing Wyverns no matter how much they cry.

Never take the Mahogany Trail back to University.

Never help the old woman with the Red Handkerchief.

Not many people break these rules, but those that do? We’re never seen again.

It started with the Wyverns. Tall and lanky dragonkin with massive scaled wings and standing on two feet, these creatures guard Cypress University and protect the students from the creatures that creep along the outer forest. Typically, the Wyverns are sweet animals. They screech and howl, but never once have they attacked a student or faculty member. Never once, until the day the pink suns rose high in the sky and an eerie white fog crawled along the campus grounds.

I’d just finished a beginner’s course of Intro to the Occult and Stars, and was pondering what to eat for lunch when a dense fog started to roll in. Backpack hoisted high on my shoulders, I paused at the sight. Orientation had been very specific about the surrounding forest and its dangers. Sure, we had the Wailing Wyverns to protect us, but it was better not to tempt fate. There were things in the forest that meant young witches harm and it always started with something that seemed just a little out of the ordinary. With this being my first year at Cypress University, I had no idea what constituted being out of the ordinary. Not just yet, at least.

“Help!”

Jumping at the noise, I turned quickly, my eyes roaming over the creeping fog. It was rolling out of the trees that surrounded the University: the Outer Forest.

“Someone! Please!”

My head snapped towards the voice, my magic instinctually rising to the surface of my skin. Unpredictable as it was, I could always count on my magic to protect me. As if in agreement, the pale pink tendrils shimmered at my fingertips. The shouts were from the outskirts. My feet stumbled forwards before coming to an abrupt stop. Would this be considered as something out of the ordinary? Grimacing, I looked around, taking in the rich green foliage and blooming trees around me. There was no one else in sight and no way for me to know the difference. Anxious, I shifted from side to side, my hands pulling at the hanging straps of my backpack.

Should I help them or should I run? Help them or run? I took a step and paused again. Maybe if I ran fast enough, I could find help? I could find the nearest professor? But what if the person was really hurt and I didn’t make it in time? The urge to run forward was strong, but the fear I had held me back. I looked around for the Wyverns, silently cursing them for not being around when they were so obviously needed.

“Ahhhhh!”

The final scream is what stirred me, my legs pumping before I could register my own actions. Running across the bright green grass, I headed towards the remnants of the scream and through the encroaching fog. Thin tree limbs yanked at my hair, the tight curls being pulled left and right from the tugs. I jumped over a fallen log, urging myself to run faster as the screams filled the air again. The farther I ran, the better I could distinguish that the cries for help were coming from someone young, maybe even younger than me.

“Hello? Hello? Help!”

I skid to a stop, my magic now encasing my hands in a bright pink glow. I’d come to a clearing, the grass here the brightest lime color I’d ever seen. My neck stretched as I took in the wyvern in front of me, its massive reptilian head cocked to the side in curiosity. Beneath it and crawling away in fear was a young girl in a familiar light blue uniform. My heart dropped at the sight of the crushed bag of open chips, the contents mere yellow crumbs around her.

“You fed the Wyvern?!” I shrieked. The red wyvern stomped forwards and I jumped back, holding my hands up high in supplication. The student, a young girl with bright blue hair, looked like she’d been bawling her eyes out.

“I just–I-I…it looked hungry!” she cried out. Another stomp forwards and the magic pulsed against my hands, waiting to be released. I pulled it close, reining it in and begging for it to behave. Slowly, I slid to the side, inching my way towards the terrified girl. The wyvern’s head cocked to the other side as it regarded my movements. My heart kept a frantic pounding.

“Please, please help me. Please!”

My eyes glanced over, snagging on the crimson blood that seeped out from her hair, covering her white headband with bright red splotches. Wyverns were peaceful…until they weren’t. The Headmaster had made that abundantly clear during Orientation. Never feed the Wyverns because once they get a taste of food, they become ruthless in their want for more. Whoever this girl was, she’d apparently ignored that piece of important information.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’re going to get out of here. What’s your name?” I asked, ignoring the sudden rustling of leaves in the distance. It was either a professor or more trouble and I didn’t want to guess which one it might be.

“Mya!”

The girl, Mya, had started hyperventilating. Inwardly groaning, I clenched and unclenched my fists. The bright pink let out a flash of multicolored sparks, enough to shock the wyvern into stepping back. I’d read enough about magical creatures to know that a bright flash of light could startle a wyvern long enough for a person to get away.

“Mya, my name is Korin. Do you think you can move? Run away?” I asked, taking a large step in her direction.

My hands were still raised high enough to make the wyvern wary. Its head slithered from side to side in irritation. From the corner of an eye, I watched Mya slowly pull herself to her feet. She limped with an ankle that was clearly twisted judging from how the skin puffed out her tall white sock. I saw her give a firm nod and breathed a soft sigh of relief. We’d need to move fast if we were going to get out of here. My lack of snacks would soon be enough to warrant a fight from the wyvern if it stepped any closer to me.

“Okay, on the count of three you run over here. Got it? One…two…three!”

With a shout, I slapped my hands together, the resounding sound sending waves of bright pink sparks in the air. Squinting, I grabbed Mya’s outstretched hand as the wyvern reared its head back and shrieked out a loud wail. Squeezing her clammy hand, I turned, yanking us back into the jungle-like forest.

It was harder to run now, the thick fog whipping against our faces and making it hard to decipher which way led back to the University. Using my magic as a lantern, I led us through as best I could, practically pulling Mya along despite her twisted ankle. She was younger than me, that much was certain, but she kept up without complaint. It wasn’t long before the ground started shuddering beneath our feet, the wyvern having gathered its senses enough to start chasing after us.

“It’s coming! It’s coming!” Mya squealed.

Shushing her, I ran faster, dragging her behind me as the trees around us started to scream. The sound was ear splitting, enough to have my eyes watering from the impact. Other noises soon joined in the screaming, wails and taunts of other creatures willing us to stop and consider them. I shook my head and kept us moving.

“There!”

Ahead of us, several paces, was the sight of an opening. We’d finally reached the edge of the forest. The University was fast approaching. We just had to make it a few more feet. We were almost there! Almost! But it was too late. My arm suddenly yanked backwards and I screamed at the pulling of its tendons.

The Wailing Wyvern had caught up to us.

“Korin!” Mya screamed as her hand was ripped away from my own.

Frantically, I looked back at her, my jaw dropping in horror at the sight of the wyvern’s teeth latched onto her leg. Mya’s nails dug into the soil as the wyvern pulled at her calf like a chew toy. Bright red blood spewed from the wound, splattering all over the surrounding greenery and trees. Trees that were a rich brown in color, the bark rough and weathered. Mahogany trees. My magic, echoing the beat of my heart, started to flutter in fear.

“Mya!” I shouted, my eyes welling with tears.

My heart beat so fast, I was sure it would jump right out of my chest. My stomach clenched, roiling its meager contents. I threw my magic forwards, the action causing it to loop like a lasso around Mya’s outstretched hand. The wyvern growled and shook its head, its large embedded teeth tearing at the wound it had left. Mya’s screams filled the air, the shrieking of nails on a chalkboard.

My magic pulsed and I pulled, scrambling to get her out of the monster’s mouth. Another sliver of magic rushed forwards, working its way into the wyvern’s clenched jaw and trying to shove it open. Mya called my name again and I felt dizzy with fear, sure that I wouldn’t be able to save her. Another growl and shake of its head. Long spittles of foamy drool shot forth. The magic held fast, wrapping around the teeth and slowly pulling the resisting jaw open. With a shout, I yanked at Mya’s hand so hard, she fell against me, heavy breaths heaving out of her.

Clutching her close, I let loose the tether on my magic, watching as the pink force of it rushed forwards to tangle around the wyvern’s mouth. I closed my eyes, a pang of regret filling me. My magic, protective as always, took hold and soon the wyvern’s screeching had my ears ringing. Mya’s arms tightened as she hugged me, her sobs quiet and her body shaking against mine. It felt like forever until the screeching tapered off and it wasn’t until it stopped that I finally decided to open my eyes.

The remnants of the wyvern stood smoking, its red scaly feet the only pieces left standing. Pink smoke twisted along the fog, intermingling with it and dispersing as if my magic had never existed. My heart thumped a staccato beat, slowing down now that the danger had passed. Relieved, I gave a surprised huff and looked down at the girl in my arms.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she exclaimed, lifting her head to meet my eyes.

I froze, my eyes jumping to her headband and back to the face now staring at me. No, no, it couldn’t be. With shaking hands, I pushed away from her, quickly scrambling back against the nearest mahogany tree.

“You saved me,”

Mya’s face had shifted to a wrinkled old visage, her voice deep and crackling. She looked at me with a terribly eerie smile, her gums black and bleeding red ooze.

My screams were unending until…they suddenly weren’t.

-Zalika Elle