The black mass squirmed. Having failed his previous attempt at a timely getaway, it had now found itself between walls of glass and Wallabu steel. The dimensions of its confinement being no larger than a mere lantern, its current purpose it seemed, was to serve as that of entertainment. Nestled within the study room of a line of other eccentric objects and materials, the only indication of life it beheld, was the occasional glimpse of a man dressed in eccentric clothing.

The same man that it had hoped to destroy.

Head principal of the academy that was also named after him, his left hand currently, was waving towards it in dismissal. Treating the once proud sorcerer as no more than a mere ornament, he spent the grand total of five seconds at best regarding it, before leaving.

Dammit. That dastard Rainee… Trapped for mere amusement by the very enemy it had sought out to kill and destroy, the shadow pondered on what had led it here in the first place.

After all, it was only by sheer stroke of luck that those meddling kids had survived....

In any world but this one, that retarded theatre kid, snobby rich kid, and elvish monkey kid would have all faced total damnation, and yet here they were. Frolicking in the prime of their life, most likely smoking drugs and contracting sexually transmitted diseases like any teenager would do, while it would have to make do with being a complacent object, trapped within a lantern and poised for an eternity of ridicule, the ‘unfairness’ of the situation, was needless to say, not lost on the creature.

An exasperated sigh exhumed from the shadow. No, it would have, if it had a mouth that is.

Was there a point to any of this? Surely, the domitability of the situation necessitated an alternate approach and philosophy... Any logical line of thought would indicate that whining and wallowing in self-pity was a lost cause that did nothing but make it worse, and exacerbate things to an even greater degree…

Knock knock knock… The familiar noise that was the sound of someone’s knuckles tapping against wood echoed throughout the room.

Without a doubt, it was the unmistakable affirmation that someone was going to enter the room.

“I am making my presence heard, make no mistake Rainee, I am now entering your room.”

On that proclamation, the announcer came into the room.

Adorning a black suit and white cravat, the man who had just entered, shifted from side to side.

“Welcome Professor Haus, is there any trifle of which I might be of some assistance?”

Rainee…

In his usual dandy demeanor and fashion, he went and shook the hand of the man who had entered the room. Without response, the newcomer reciprocated with an awkward stare, one that, at first glance, seemed to be the product of molestation, but was actually that of concern.

Rainee patted the man on his shoulder with his free hand.

“Yes there is, though I fear that it is a conversation that will require a sufficient amount of time allocated to it.”

Nodding in response, the headmaster of the academy smiled.

“Very well then, shall we have crumpets and tea?”

“That would be most appreciated, yes.”

Departing for what the creature could only assume to be the aforementioned snacks, it felt its non-existent stomach turn in desire for any form of nourishment.

“...”

How careless. It seemed that in his endeavour to search for the almighty headmaster Rainee, that Professor Haus, had by some stroke of clumsiness, left the door to Rainee’s establishment open.

Normally, the place was an impregnable fortress, and through some magical shenanigans (of which even it did not understand), could only be accessed by individuals granted permission.

Though with that slight crevice in which a being the size of a mouse could slip through…

Who knows if something could sneakily get in the room and rescue it?

The eye bulged at the door.

Who knows if something could sneakily get in the room and rescue it?

The eye bulged yet again.

WHO KNOWS IF SOMETHING COULD SNEAK-....

A change occurred. By sheer stroke of miracle, what took the form of a puddle of blood, seeped through the door.

While there was no proof that this was by any means proof of a savior or anything of the ilk, the mere fact that there was a literal pool of blood leaking through the door, lent itself to connotations of an evil nature if anything.

One that with its consistent speed, was now in fact plastered to its glass prison.

Shooting out with the speed of an arrow, the quaint scarlet liquid had now enveloped the exterior of the lantern the shadow was in. If the silence offered anything, it offered the shadow time to think.

It hadn’t taken it into account at first, but there was a genuine probability that this thing wasn’t exactly friendly. Maybe it was in fact just some kinda loose end on a long complicated string of villainy and evil, one that in all its burden was going to be… Destroyed?

Enveloping the other end of its material prison, the shadow did all in its limited capacity to distance itself from what it now perceived to be its newest threat. If possible, it would have been yelling and begging for mercy, but alas, it was without a mouth, and thereby could not scream, and had to make do with frantic shivering instead.

It was only with what had happened next, were it finally able to find peace.

Peace in the form of relief and not oblivion mind you.

As the blood pressed and formed into the shape of a key, it inserted itself into the hole nigh impenetrable deadbolt. Tk. Tk. Tk. Tk. Tk. Six olde audible clicks were heard, and upon the seventh, like the climax of a ballad, the key made a noise that in all its beauty, indicated that it was in. With a click, it turned clockwise, and the mechanism was unlocked.

Blessed with freedom, the shadow’s figurative heart pumped.

“Is this some kind of tasteless joke?”

“Not at all, no.”

It had been quite a while since Tommy had found himself this heated over anything.

His mouth dry, the boy made no attempt to hide his scorn for the circumstances that had led to this.

“You’re telling me that, by chance your door was left open and someone snuck in and just released that wretched thing?”

Rainee nodded. “Yes, that is what I said.”

Turning his head slightly, so that he was no longer looking at Tommy, the headmaster with the weight of his chin on right hand, was poised in a position that revealed not a smidgeon of care in the world.

Tommy’s fist clenched, with all the composure he could muster, he held himself back and breathed. If someone was there in the room watching them, they would have supposed that Tommy would have just lunged at Rainee, I mean, why wouldn’t they?

The slight bend of his knees, and the outstretched nature of his hand, lent itself to a perfect pounce. One that with a slight push of his feet, would have enabled him to perfectly sucker punch Rainee across the face.

The headmaster, gawking at him all the while, could only smile.

After all, it wasn’t like Tommy was actually going to do it.

“Well, what are you wait-.”

In an attempt to engage in fisticuffs, his fist lurched forward, and stopped just short of Rainee’s face. In the next instant, Tommy was no longer in the room, erased from existence, any indication of his being was gone, and he was instead now sitting inside the grand fountain outside the school. His entire body drenched, a student snapped a photo of his current state of being.

“I hate this school”.