Beacon Sanctuary: Introduction

A blaring horn sounds around the classroom, ushering in the start of class with its monotone beeeeep, battling against the class with its continued chattering like a swarm of birds in flight. Talking about their favorite sports team, or their favorite song, but despite both topics, the one that's the most dominant above all others are Beacons. Heroes and protectors of the world from shadows and monsters. Heck even some of the students wire their merch. One had on a pair of goggle styles glasses with a pair of plastic points hitting out the frames. Another had a not-so hidden action figure resting in their bag and so and so on.

Strolling behind her desk, a flaming haired teacher waits for the noise to die down, soaking in the noise whilst glancing over her notes for the lesson. Although not a fan of the overbearing noise, she was at least happy that today's topic was going to be in line with the student's "healthy enthusiasm" she would say.

Though she wished the other topics got them this excited as well. Though unfortunately for the magi, bit by bit the noise peaked more amd more. Turning more into an orchestra of sound than anything else. With a fluttering of her pointed ears, red scale patterned hands clamped the bridge of her nose as the magi gazed at her gaggle of her prescious chatterboxes. Breathing out a fiery sigh, this got one of the front row kids rapidly turnt around and whispered to his peers that

"The dragon lady's upset quiet down!" He hissed, much to the chagrin of the teacher (Miss Ignis) who inwardly wished her class at times wasn't predominately humans. But either way, she was there to teach first and foremost, giving a fanged grin she strode forward and began the lesson.

"Gracias niños gracias, good morning you all's i hope you had a good weekend I take it?" In reply she received a few mumbles of 'yes,' 'nos' and all the other in-betweens.

"Alright then, that's good to hear, I know you all are oh-so anxious to catch up over the weekend, but please pay attention today. Believe me, my lecture won't bore you anymore than watching a terra snail move an inch on a cold day. Now, while I'm sure some if you may be sad to leave the origins of humans and magi, before we go forwards let's give a quick review. For today's topic will include the previous lesson in spades. Now then, ah yes, Eir!"

In the back of class whirling their tawny face up from their book, the note taking student blinked rapidly before stuttering,

"A-a yes Miss Ignis?" Their voice squeaked

"Would you please give a description of our first notes for the class?" As the words left her mouth they watched the child rapidly flip their journal back to the front page and nodded.

"Oh, sure thing!" Blue-green eyes lit up as they excitedly traced their words, with a deep breath they said

"From around~ 100,000 BDE to today, there's been two dominant species that were in charge of the planet. Humans and Magi, both cane around the same time but they split at some point. One chose to survive through magic, then being Magi!" At the sound of that, a few students at the back corner gave a low

"boooo" but one sharp look from the teacher's slit eyes silenced them immediately. Fixing her suit jacket, Miss Ignis motioned for Eor to continue as she looked at the class. Daring them to interrupt again as the magi in class shuffled in their seats. Unfurling their lips from a thin line, Eir continued on.

"Annnd the other cousin survived through strength, tools and hardiness which were you know Humans!" Nodding her head, the teacher gave Eir a pat on the shoulder and continued on.

"Very good Eir, at least you're paying attention to class I see. Now then continuing forward, as Eir said both races used different methods to survive, both against the hectic magic filled world we live in, and of course against shadows. Which brings me to a topic you all know well, when people, both humans and magi needed to safeguard themselves against Shadows when just survival alone did not suffice they relied on what class?"

And on cue as she expected, there came the torrent of giddy kids all in unison saying

"Beacons!!" Chuckling at their excitement miss ignis smirked and paced before her desk.

"That's right! Beacons, our defenders and guides against the shadows which often attack our lands, people's and nations. The lesson for the week is revolving around beacons and their origins, so I guess be excited for that!" Clapping her hands she saw the excited faces And cheers from her class at the thought.

'Hehe, well I shouldn't be surprised, that was the dream most said on their very first day here. But still my little torches, you still need regular school as well, this isn't a training academy after all' she thought, clearing her throat she said

"And since you all plan to, or at least think of being beacons if your dreams and goals were any insight, I need you all to think of two things and respond accordingly. First, think about your own encounters with a beacon, whether it be in a video or in real life, and secondly, in your own words and ideals, what do you think a beacon is and please define it for me in your notes!"

~~A few years earlier~~

Eir Flashback

Heat bakes the air as a ra-tat-tat-tat echoes all around, the bright taps of a snare lead the way. Soon backed by a reverberating blare that sounds from the low brass. Without a second to lose a boom sounds from a base drum answering back the brass with its energy. And all across the warm asphalt, there glistening in the sun stood a marching band. Clothed in silver and gold, trumpets, trombones, tubas, flutes, saxophones you name it, marched and kept time as their jazzy sounds echoed and rattled in everyone's chests. The crowd clamored on the sidewalk, following the band as they shined in the sun's rays, crescendoing as they turnt the corner of the winding road.

With a sharp whistle blaring to direct the band, on the edges of the street a child pulled their parents as fast as they could. Their round tawny face stretched in a wide grin as their blue-green eyes sparkled in excitement.

"Momma, poppa come on we're gonna miss them!" Tiny hands grasped two coarse ones, pulling, and yanking them through the dense crowd, as high above ruffling their chocolate hair in its flight, a red spectral dragon soared after the band, it's body made of brilliant shining music notes. Riding the wind as it carried the band's sound through the back. As the child could only gasp at the sight before squealing

"Eeee! That's so cool!" As a deep voice chuckled behind the child

"Heheh, Eir slow down the band isn't goin' anywhere soon, give these old folks a rest huh?" A light scoff followed his comments.

"Tsk, you may be old but I'm still young as ever, let's go dear let's get you to that band" Eir's mother replied, and so on the family wove through a wall of sweaty, to near stone wall sturdy bodies as the sounds of the parade got closer and closer. Thundering ever more in their chests as the rainbow bursts of magic sparked from the band. As magi and humans played their sing side by side.

Though as the family got closer and closer, and the trumpets delivered their loudest blare yet, out of nowhere a cry of fear slowly began to rise. Eir's parents looked at one another, glancing both at each other and behind them. A few yelps here or there, but maybe it was nothing. Maybe some one tripped or maybe even a fight broke out they thought. But unfortunately the next word sent a cold chill deep into everyone's veins

"Shadow!"(2.) In the blink of an eye, an unnaturally swift black dot raked and tore through the crowd. Gurgled cries of pain begat frantic screams, any one and everyone bolted away in a wild frenzy. Trying and failing to escape the dashed of this inky monstrosity! Dashing from person to person, leaping and clawing gash after gash on its victim before leaping as if they were a trampoline. Only a springboard for the shadow's next victim.

Eir found themselves scooped up into their father's burly arms, he cradled them against his chest as he and eir's mother raced alongside the crowd, their feet battling and pounding on the cement, racing as fast ss they could. Panting the parents ignored Eir's questions, they went dead to their pleas. They could deal with that later, they had to get Eir to safety first.

But sadly, the family drew the short end of the stick, without warning the father felt a vice on his leg, it squeezed amd weighed on his leg like hundred pound weight. With just a bit more pressure he was sure his leg would've snapped. Though he wasn't what the shadow was after, at least not yet, with a dash against his legs, Eir's father felt his legs buckle and seemingly in slow motion he felt himself falling back. His stomach shot to his neck as his grip on Eir slipped as the unforgiving pavement meet his back.

"Urk!" Cried the father as his grip slipped, Eir spilt on the ground looking at the law of the shadow. It's pitch black body bent and snarked at their face, it's body popped and bubbled like rancid sewage. It's wiry frame draped over eir like a skeleton made of darkness as its clawed hands raised. The shrieks of their mother muffled as their strikes were only swatted away by the beast. But as eir looked up and cried, the shadow's claws descended upon them. They didn't feel heat nor any sear of pain. Instead an icy chill filled the gap while a sharp clank rang out. Chased by warm and dulcet voice the child heard,

"Everything will be alright, please open your eyes." Fluttering open, Eir's eyes squinted in the light, straining to sed a man with his back to the sun and a grey cloak draped over his body and face. Casting a shadow that only revealed two warm and blazing purple eyes shining with magic. And as small skin is and hisses sounded out, the child's curious eyes saw the shadow. Straining and recoiling against a metal shield, seething in pain as it failed to move past its pitch black lining.

A soft chuckle left the man's lips, them curbing into a small smile at the human's awed expression. Stuttering in disbelief, the star struck child said

"Y-your're a beacon, you saved me! I-i" as they tried to scrape up their words a soft pat ruffled their brown locks, refocusing their attention back on the beacon before them.

"Heheh, don't you have a good eye? Knight Alejandro Ramirez at your service." And with no wasted motion, the knight slid away his shield, goading the shadow to continue its path, only to be met with a spectral black-purple sword. Spearing and careening the shadow across the now empty street, pinning it to the earth as the purple star dotted back kept it in check.

With a brief grunt the man rose from his crouch still smiling at the child before him. "Tell me, what is your name young one?"

"E-Eir Dana sir!" Saluted the child

"Eir hm? That certainly is quite a nice name. Well Eir, mind being my little helper today? Though be sure to listen this is very important"

"Ooh, aye-aye mister knight sir!" Smiling at the child's energy the knight turned his back to the mother and the child and snapped out his arms to summon a pinwheel of the same pitch black blades.

"Good then, go with your mother and meet back up with your father, can you do that for me little torch(1.)?" Nodding frantically Eir followed alongside her mom and raced back to the father. As soon enough, with a call back of his blade, the knight slammed its flat against the disk and cried

"Let's dance!" At the shadow, and as soon as it appeared, so soon did it return to nothing but a pile of murky darkness as a cry of celebration and music returned to the streets. Cries of "beacon, beacon, beacon" rang in the streets as the band played the knight off as the walked into the mass of people, only to brush past the same child he shielded moments earlier. Staring up at his with starry eyes, smiling at the little spitfire, Ramirez crouched down, and pulled a gem out his pocket. It was a 20 sided gem and sparkled with hundreds of stars within its fold. Placing the gem in the child's small hands, the knight simply said,

"For my brave little torch."

Eir first person pov~

Out of instinct I dove in my pocket and felt a familiar cool feeling in my hand. Yanking it out, I smiled at the star studded gem. Thinking 'what is a beacon?' As I wrote down this

Definition: A source of inspiration, and a valiant protector

FOOTNOTES:

1. Torch: Its a term used to describe a beacon in training

2. Shadow: it's a monster made from people's repressed emotions and pains.