“My name is Caspar. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The name struck Emilia. For a moment, it seemed a strange vibration went through her body as lost emotions started to resurface. Memories which were meant to be forgotten came flying back to her. Even though she had suppressed those strong feelings before, it seemed they were still lingering around her. She tried to speak but barely managed to say –

“Yeah, same here.”

Both of them were still walking together but Emilia’s mind was fleeing away. It was getting hard for her to hold back this flood of emotion. Distant memories of past started to roll through and for a while it seemed she was back there, in her happiest times, with the person she loved and cherished.

A kid with white hair and blue eyes whose white skin was pale like milk, stood in front of her lending her a hand. As she tried to grasp his hand but the memories started to fade. She looked at his face but she couldn’t remember how he looked!

‘How can this be possible? Why can’t I remember his face?’

As she tried hard to remember, when a voice interrupted her. Snatched from her dreams, she finds a face starring at her with a concern look.

“Are you all right?”

Emilia stood there frozen. While she couldn’t remember the face of the boy in her memories; she felt something different inside her. The face in front of her had something familiar in it, something which was forgotten yet lingered around her. The worrisome face of a man who she just met felt more and more familiar, as she saw it. She bit her lips as if to muster some courage and asked -

“Hey, Caspar…”

“Yes?”

“Have we met before?”

Memories. While everyone has some Caspar didn’t. A girl, whose beauty was none like he ever seen, stare at him for an answer which he didn’t knew how to response to. Memories were something which he lacked and yearned for. The first memory in his mind was seeing a sky; wide open and blue with little clouds at a distance while lying under a tree on a warm afternoon. He didn’t know who he was or where he was. The only thing he knew was his name and that he has to go to the Academy City with a letter, which was in his bag.

“Who knows? You might have seen me in some crowd.”

While he managed to give a faint smile, he couldn’t overcome his sense of emptiness.

People talk about their past with filled emotions. Sadness, happiness, anger and many various things. He heard people wish they would forget few things but they didn’t knew how it feels to forget those memories. For him, every single piece of memory was as precious as his life. Without them, he felt he might even forget who or what he is.

He understood that his answer was not compelling to her and so he decided to tell her his situation.

“I don’t have any memories prior to a week. So you might be right; I might have met you somewhere. It’s just that I don’t remember ever meeting you.”

On one side was Emilia, who had fading and dusty memories while on the side was Caspar who didn’t had any memories prior to a week.

Emilia felt a slime thread of similarities between them. ‘Maybe she might have met him’, was what she thought. She didn’t know how to respond to that so she gave him a faint smile. Something within her was saying that the things she was searching till now might be found if she stays with him.

“So you both met.”

Emilia turned towards the voice which just interrupted her conversation. An old man in his late 60’s was approaching them. While his hairs were grey, one could see patches of black hair all over his head. His skin was wrinkled and had spot on it, while his bushy beard reached his chest covering his throat. He wore a golden rimmed glasses and a purple n’ black magicians robe, something that only a high ranked magician wore. As he came near them, a smell of wood spread in the air. Just smelling it made the mind calm and a person stable.

Emilia quickly stepped forward and gave her greetings.

“Greetings, Headmaster William.”

Within the Academy City, there are many strict rules which even the emperor cannot change. It is a common knowledge to every student to greet their teachers whenever they see them. No one is abide to this rule. It is taught that ‘a person’s behavior and virtues are what makes him great, not his skills or might. A person may be a might ruler but if he neglects his citizens and others, no one will consider him a good person.’

While Emilia offered her greetings she saw Caspar make a simple bow. His posture was something she knew about. It was a way that the nobles used to greeting someone without say a word. A posture, which only a few selected families used.

“Emilia…”

Emilia quickly turned towards the Headmaster who was now looking at her.

“Yes sir.”

“From today onwards, please look out for him.”

Emilia became confused but quickly figured out that the Headmaster might know about Caspar’s situation.

“Well, even though you both might have introduced yourself, let me introduce both of you again. Caspar; this is Emilia O’ Streingford from the ‘House of Streingford’, be sure to listen to her and Emilia; this is Caspar. He will be joining the Academy in a few days so make him accustom to how the city and academy works.”

“Yes Headmaster.”

“Now Caspar, follow me. We have things to discuss.”

As the Headmaster turned Caspar gave a smile to Emilia.

“Well, I’ll be in your care then. See yah…”

“Yeah”

As Caspar ran behind the Headmaster, he turned back and waved at Emilia with a big smile as if he just made his first friend. He slowly then turned towards the Headmaster still waving his hand. Emilia had a smile on her face and a warm feeling spiraling within her. As Emilia waved back, she felt something again. A feeling of making a friend! Even though students are considered equal regardless of their status in outer world, Emilia never made many friends. Teacher might not differentiate, but the students did. Academy City took only talents. And while the majority of students were commoners, they tried to stay away from nobles. Only a few approached the nobles as nobles, for commoners; are better not crossed path with.

The only friends Emilia had were her roommate and other classmates back at dorms.

It felt nice to wave back to someone but Emilia soon started to feel something odd about it. It felt that she had done this before. Those white hair and the way he waved his hand were similar to someone she knew. She couldn’t recall when this happened before but she was sure that it wasn’t a déjà vu. Her heart started to race fast as she started to think about him (Caspar). Even though he was almost out of sight, Emilia kept staring in his direction still waving her hand. As she came out of her thoughts, she blushed red with what she was doing. She turned back and started to walk towards her dorms while her mind started to cloud again with thoughts.

‘Why does my heart race whenever I think about him? Caspar, just who are you?’