Professor Sesillian drove me to the place he wanted to go. When I suggested sleeping with him, he didn’t respond. Instead, he just said he wanted to take me somewhere, then led me to his car and drove off from the academy.
I’d never been in a car before, and I’d thought I never would. The experience was incredible—smooth and refined, far superior to the jostling of carriages and other vehicles. This car, however, was built by the company that also owned me. That meant Leon and his people had designed these vehicles, modernizing not just the cars but the entire road infrastructure. He was gradually transforming this world, and the changes were sweeping through it.
“Professor, where are we going?” I asked, my curiosity piqued as we sped along the unfamiliar road, the scenery slipping by in a blur.
I hadn’t bothered to ask before, but with the road feeling so new and the destination shrouded in mystery, I decided it was time to inquire.
“Ah, it’s a place that means a lot to me,” he said, his lips curving into a soft, nostalgic smile. “Somewhere special I’ve wanted to share with you.”
I was surprised to learn the Professor had such a place. But then again, everyone has a spot that’s special to them.
The quiet of the drive was oddly comforting, and his words only made me feel more at ease. I wondered… what could this special place be?
***
We finally arrived at what he called his special place. It was a small manor, though it looked like it had been left to rot. The building was overrun with vines, which clung desperately to the walls. The paint was a ghostly, peeling shade of gray, barely clinging to the weather-beaten wood. The roof was just as neglected, with cracks running through the faded shingles and broken windows letting in the elements. Inside, I could only imagine the extent of the decay; it looked like time had ravaged every corner.
“This is a place I often visit,” he said softly, almost as if speaking to himself. “It belonged to someone lost to history, a magician from another country who built this house and created a family here. His contributions were immense, and he’s been a profound inspiration for why I became a faculty member at the academy.”
The way Professor Sesillian gazed at the manor, his eyes softened with a mix of reverence and nostalgia, made it clear that its former owner had profoundly inspired him.
“I understand,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “I can see why this person meant so much to you, especially since they’re part of why you’ve become someone I care about.” I leaned in, my hand gently resting on his arm, trying to share in his moment of reflection.
“Yes, I’m sure you’ll come to appreciate them too,” he said, his smile growing. “Would you like to go inside?”
“Is that okay?” I asked hesitantly. The manor seemed so deeply tied to his past; I wondered if stepping inside might somehow tarnish its significance. More pressingly, was it even safe to enter this place that looked so dilapidated?
“It’s perfectly fine,” he assured me, his voice warm. “The man who owned this manor was my great-great-grandfather.”
So, the owner was his relative. Given that, I figured it was probably okay to explore, since it was part of his family’s legacy.
We stepped into what remained of the manor’s garden. The grass was so overgrown it nearly reached my waist, and the fountain was stagnant and filthy, its water murky and green with neglect. The double doors to the manor were completely wrecked, one door hanging off its hinges. The once-red carpet was now covered in grime and dirt, stained with mysterious, unidentifiable splotches.
Every corner was cloaked in cobwebs, hanging like ghostly drapes, and an overpowering, rank smell lingered in the air, a nauseating mix that was hard to identify.
“It looks pretty dilapidated now,” Professor Sesillian said, his voice carrying a blend of regret and nostalgia. “The place has been abandoned and neglected for over 15 years. I used to take care of it when I was younger, but my father forbade me from coming here and warned me to stay away. That’s why it’s fallen into such disrepair. I wanted to clean it up, but I realized it’s impossible now. I don’t want to renovate it either. All the history and knowledge my grandfather built here would be lost if I did. It’s better to leave it as it is.”
He was right. It was hard to imagine how this place could ever be cleaned up without a complete overhaul. But Professor Sesillian was adamant that renovation was out of the question. I couldn’t fully grasp his reasoning, but it was clear he was intent on preserving the manor’s historical essence. Renovating it would wipe away the significant history embedded in its decaying walls, leaving behind only the echoes of what once was.
“This is a place where I learned a value that’s profoundly important,” he said, his voice laden with gravitas. “A value where darkness plays a crucial role. That’s why those with the power to conceal the light must sometimes do so.”
“Darkness?” I repeated, trying to grasp his meaning.
“Yes, darkness,” he affirmed. “Without darkness, you wouldn’t truly appreciate the joy that light brings. Darkness embodies suffering and tough times—elements that forge your strength. It teaches you to handle crises. Simply thinking positively doesn’t prepare you for life’s emergencies. So, Charlotte, the darkness surrounding you now isn’t something to fear. It will make you a better, stronger person. Embracing the darkness within you is essential. Just as light holds importance, so does darkness.”
I felt like I was starting to understand. Yes, the darkness I was experiencing now was painful, but there was solace in it. My light, the light I brought into my life, was Professor Sesillian. He was the one shining through the darkness.
He wrapped his arms around me and pressed a tender kiss to my forehead. “You just need to be brave for now. Eternal darkness will come soon, and its embrace will warm you, just as I warm you with my hug right now.”
I could feel his warmth seeping through, enveloping me.
In that moment, I felt like the happiest person alive. But, at the same time, I had no idea what Professor Sesillian’s expression looked like.
