The Arnomph common room was very noisy that evening. Krysti, Morgan, and Leo, a fellow Ravdorak player, sat together next to a window. Morgan and Leo were discussing Ravdorak formations and styles, while Krysti did her Divination homework. Their teacher—Ms. Mulberry—had asked them to fill the horoscopes and their meanings for the next six months, to be submitted next class. They had all complained that Ravdorak was near, but Ms. Mulberry wouldn't have none of it.

Rubbing her eyes while yawning, Krysti dipped her pen into the inkpot before comparing the textbook's explanation with the moon calendar. Saturn colliding with the bright stars shows terrible events during the month of November. Then wrote it down. She continued this process—dipping, looking, writing—till her fingers cramped even then she didn't stop.

By the time she was done with her horoscopes, Morgan and Leo were looking at her as if they needed something and she was the only one who had it.

"What?" setting her pen in the inkpot while retrieving her bag. She blew her paper to dry the ink, then packed her things up, carefully putting the paper on top to avoid ruining the ink.

"Uh...we just wanted to know what you think of this?" Morgan said, pointing to a rough sketch of the Ravdorak field and team.

It was a 4-3-1 formation. Four attackers, three defenders and, as usual, a keeper. Beside the players were their Ravdorak pieces. Attackers always had two pieces assigned to them, hence, two lives, while the other players had just one. Attacking pieces were usually; Zeus the lightning bringer; Hypnos the sleeper; Poseidon the Lord of the sea; Demeter the gardener; Apollo and his twin sister, Artemis; Athena the wise and Ares the war god.

Krysti studied the draft, shaking her head. Only the keeper can use Hades the killer. She crossed off the Hades piece beside the middle defender. Morgan gave Leo a knowing glare.

"I told you!" she poked him with her fingers. Krysti lifted her eyes off the paper, yawning.

"I'll check this out tomorrow. Good Night." she picked up her bag and left before any of them could say a word.

Krysti went to bed with her head buzzing with questions and ideas. Her roommates were sleeping soundly, but Krysti couldn't sleep no matter how tired she was. She tried to empty her mind—she needed to sleep; she had to, with the team's first Ravdorak match in a few hours—but the expression on Maia's face when Krysti had spotted her creeping in the hallways after their detention wasn't easy to forget.

What was she doing that got her so frightened? Something stupid am sure.

The next morning dawned dazzling and cold. Krysti woke up very early that morning to prep the newcomer on what and what not to do.

"There are eight players for each team. Four attackers, three defenders and a keeper or killer. The attackers—like their name—attack the opponent while trying to get to the other side of the field." She brought out the pieces from a chess-like box and set them on the chessboard.

"Four attackers, three defenders and a keeper. Got it." The newbie replied, studying the pieces on the board.

Krysti arranged them in the 4-3-1 formation that she, Morgan and Leo discussed earlier. "The keeper has Hades; so he or she can kill any piece from the opponents." She pointed to a piece with a staff and three-headed dog.

"You're a new defender, so you get to use the easiest piece—Hephaestus." The mini-sized crippled god sat uncomfortably on a stool. "He summons fire. All you have to do is say the spell in your mind—do not say it out loud for any reason—and you'll be fine." She waved her wand and soon the mini statue was breathing fire.

By the time she had finished prepping the new player, breakfast had begun. Let's hope he's worth the struggle.

The Great Hall was full of the smell of pancakes, and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good season.

"You've got to have some breakfast."

"I don’t want to eat."

"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Morgan.

"I'm not hungry." Krysti felt terrible. In an hour's time, she'd be on the bench and her team in the field.

"Krysti, you may not be playing but you need your strength," said Denis Flaygon, one of their attackers. "You're our coach."

"I don't know," said Krysti, watching Denis pile honey and cream on his pancakes.

By eleven o'clock, the entire school seemed to be out in the stands around the Ravdorak pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might have been raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.

Morgan was on the top row with Blake and Devon. The stand was divided into two. The left side for House Arnomph and the right side for House Verno. If anyone didn't know where to sit they could look at the banners—green for Verno, and crimson for Arnomph.

Meanwhile, in the locker room, the team was changing into their crimson Ravdorak gear, which comprised a full armor minus the helmet and their wands. (Verno would be playing in green).

Krysti cleared her throat for silence, she was wearing a coach cap with a crimson whistle around her neck.

"Okay guys," she said.

"And girls," said Maggie Linderman, the keeper.

"And girls," Krysti agreed.

"This is it."

"The best game we'll ever play," said red-haired Ronald Meyer .

"The season we've all been waiting for," said Flint, Ronald's elder brother.

"Shut up, you two," said Krysti. "This is the best team Arnomph's had in years. We're going to win. With or without me. I know it." She glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."

A bell rang, signifying Verno was ready.

"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."

Krysti followed the team out of the locker room. She took a left and went to grab a seat beside Morgan, while the rest of the team walked onto the field to loud cheers.

Madam Graci was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams. Beside her was a pegasus, black as coal, tall and with wings that were at least four feet each when spread out. "Welcome to Ravdorak 2040. Now, I want a fair game from all of you," she said, once the teams were all gathered around her.

Krysti noticed she seemed to be speaking particularly to the Verno's substitute captain, Spencer Diggory, a fellow last year. Krysti thought Spencer looked more like a troll than a demi-god or magician.

"Mount your pegasi, please."

The players mounted their pegasi. Each player had a specific one, according to their position and the pieces. Attackers usually had fast and strong pegasi, while defenders used sensitive and alert ones. The keepers, however, rode an imitation of Hades the killer's three-headed dog. They were fierce little things and could shred any piece.

Fourteen horses including Madam Graci’s—and two dogs—rose, high, high into the air. They were off.

"The attackers go sword to sword with each other. It's sixteen pieces against sixteen. Verno's Ares strikes down Arnomph's Zeus with a might blow—What an impressive—"

"JORDAN!"

"Sorry, Professor." The school's head editor for press club, Kyle Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor Quails, the Potions teacher.

"The strive continues. Verno making the most hits. The Arnomph defenders weaken their opponents—and there's Arnomph's Dionysus making the Vernos pieces attack themselves. The Vernos are in disarray struggling to fix their pieces—allowing Arnomph to march towards the end of their board but the Vernos aren't having any of it. Their keeper—Medusa—releases the first kill of the day and it's on...Poseidon!"

Several Vernos cheered.

"A small win for Verno and an enormous loss for Arnomph. With no chance the Arnomph release the god Hypnos, putting some Vernos to sleep as they continue sword dancing with the awake ones. It's a tight fight between them and—Ouch—Verno's captain takes a nasty fall. He might never—Oh! he's up again."

Arnomph groaned, including Krysti. Almost had him.

The fighting continued for what seemed like hours. Everyone was getting bored, then suddenly Jordan screamed. "And they've done it. For the first time in five years, Arnomph has won its first match!"

Krysti couldn't believe what she just heard, "OH MY ZEUS! We did it!" She and Morgan hugged like it was the first time they've met in years. The entire field was in a noisy mess—Vernos were groaning and moaning as the Arnomphs laughed and mocked them.

It was the best thing Krysti had heard this week. We did it!

That night House Arnomph couldn't sleep; they threw a party in an abandoned classroom—it was big enough to hold a sizable amount of students—even prefects couldn't say a thing about it. They stole the drinks and food from the kitchen by a group of fifth graders. Enchanted musical instruments provided the music.

They had all changed from their school uniforms into party-worthy clothes. It was around three in the morning when Krysti dragged Morgan from a group of girls to go home.

"It's late," she told her, handing Morgan one of the coats they came with. "And cold too."

"I know," Morgan replied, her words were slurring and she could barely stand. She almost fell down, but Krysti caught her before she could kiss the floor.

"You took a lot of Permish, didn't you?" Krysti hated Permish. It made you drunk and drowsy; hardly stable if you had more than a few glasses.

"Come now. Steady." Krysti gripped Morgan as they strolled towards the dorm building. Then Morgan stopped.

"Did you hear that?"

"Morgan, you're hearing things. It's the Permish." Krysti said.

"No. No. I heard something." Morgan pressed. She'd sworn she heard it; a sound—like someone was following them. Krysti kept walking.

The winds were getting stronger. It was freezing, not just because of the November breeze, but there was something—something off out here with them. Krysti could feel it too, but she was determined to return to her dorm before a teacher saw them.

Someone paused again. This time, it was Krysti. She couldn't move, no matter how hard she tried. It was like a force restricted her. It felt like ice was penetrating her, freezing her inside out.

"Wha—What's going on?" The panic in her voice was heavy. This was a familiar feeling. No, Maia can't play dirty tricks like this, or can she? At the corner of her eyes she could see something—a figure, a human figure. It seemed to come from the bushes, nearing Krysti and Morgan.

Slowly it approached them. No, it can't be. What's she doing here? Inches away from them was Maia Callos. Krysti could never mistake those white curly hairs for someone else's. But there was something off about her. For one, she was wearing dark shades.

"M-Maia?" called out Morgan. "This is stupid. Release Krysti now and we won't tell the professors." This only made Maia cackle.

Even her voice was off. But Morgan didn't note that, "Do it. Or else."

Krysti couldn't breathe properly by now. The ice was the only thing surrounding her. But she didn't fail to notice Maia's arms were black. Not brown or chocolate, but black...inky black. They were dripping a weird substance that looked like thick ink.

Maia's, fake Maia's dark shades were black holes that were meant to be eyes. The creature started morphing from Maia to its actual form. Its skin was white as snow. Its hair was scanty red strands that were decaying with half the creature's face.

It gave off a horrible stench. Krysti's twin that was too scared to move turned her back and puked all her party food. It's supposed to be dead.

Then it happened. One second, Krysti was trying to understand this creature and the next she felt as though a thousand needles had pierced her neck. The pain burned like fire then faded away to icy numbness. Black filled the edges of her vision and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat. Her breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed and she felt her body moving into another world.

A world she did not know.