A few minutes passed.
Then—
Scratch.
Lyra's eyes opened again.
The sound was closer this time.
Right outside her door.
Her patience snapped.
"This is getting ridiculous," she whispered.
Lyra threw off the blanket and marched toward the door again.
"If someone is playing a prank—"
She opened the door for the third time.
And froze.
Standing in the corridor was a small creature no taller than her knee.
It had long pointed ears, bright silver eyes, and tiny glowing wings folded behind its back. Its body was covered in soft pale fur, and a thin tail swayed nervously behind it.
The creature looked up at Lyra.
Then suddenly—
It ran forward and hugged her leg tightly.
"Mistress!" the tiny creature cried happily.
Lyra jumped in shock.
"W-What?!"
Startled, she quickly shook her leg and tossed the creature aside.
The small beast rolled across the floor but immediately stood back up and rushed toward her again.
It grabbed her leg once more.
"Mistress! I finally found you!"
Lyra stared down at it in disbelief.
"I am not your mistress!" she said firmly. "I don't even know you!"
But the little creature shook its head stubbornly.
"You are! You are my master!"
Lyra crouched down, trying to understand what she was looking at.
The creature's eyes sparkled with excitement and relief.
"How could you forget me, Mistress?" it said sadly.
Lyra frowned.
"Forget you? I've never even seen you before."
The tiny beast looked confused for a moment.
Then it spoke softly.
"Perhaps… Mistress has forgotten."
Lyra crossed her arms.
"Explain."
The small creature lowered its ears.
"A long time ago… I was dying," it said quietly.
"My tribe was attacked by hunters who capture magical creatures. They injured me badly and left me in the forest."
Lyra listened carefully.
"I thought I would die there," the creature continued.
"But you appeared."
Lyra blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes!" the creature nodded quickly.
"You saved me. You healed my wounds and protected me from the hunters."
Lyra tried to remember, but nothing came to mind.
"I… don't remember doing that."
The creature looked down sadly.
"After that day, I tried to find you again. But I couldn't."
Its small hands trembled.
"Without a master, I was captured again. They forced me to serve them. I became their slave."
Lyra's eyes widened slightly.
"They tortured me… because I refused to obey them."
Its voice became shaky.
"But tonight… I felt your presence in the academy."
The creature looked up at her with hopeful eyes.
"So I escaped."
It tightened its grip on her leg again.
"Mistress… please don't leave me again."
Lyra was speechless.
A Loyal Companion
The tiny creature knelt down and bowed its head.
"Please let me stay with you."
Its voice trembled with desperation.
"I have nowhere else to go."
Lyra stared at the small being clinging to her leg.
Her mind was spinning.
She had no memory of saving this creature.
But something about it felt… real.
The fear in its voice.
The relief in its eyes.
It wasn't lying.
Lyra sighed softly.
"This is unbelievable…"
She gently knelt down to its level.
"What exactly are you?"
The creature smiled brightly.
"I am an Elf Beast."
Its tail wagged slightly.
"And I belong to you, Mistress."
Lyra rubbed her forehead.
"This academy just keeps getting stranger…"
She looked at the little creature again.
For a moment, silence filled the corridor.
Then Lyra spoke quietly.
"Fine."
The creature's ears perked up instantly.
"You can stay."
The little elf beast jumped with joy.
"Thank you, Mistress!"
Lyra quickly raised a finger.
"But don't call me mistress."
The creature tilted its head.
"Then what should I call you?"
Lyra thought for a moment.
Then she smiled faintly.
"Call me Lyra."
The tiny creature nodded happily.
"Yes, Lyra!
After the Elf Beast begs Lyra to stay:
Lyra looked down at the tiny creature still clinging to her leg.
"Mistress please… don't send me away," it whispered.
Lyra sighed and rubbed her forehead.
"This is insane…"
She glanced down the empty corridor. If any teacher saw this creature wandering around the dormitory, it would definitely be taken away or worse.
"Alright," she said quietly. "You can stay… but you must never let anyone see you."
The small Elf Beast's ears perked up instantly.
"I promise!" it said happily.
Lyra crouched down to its level.
"If the teachers find you here, both of us will get into serious trouble."
The creature nodded quickly.
"I can hide! I'm very good at hiding!"
Lyra raised an eyebrow.
"You better be."
She gently picked up the small creature and brought it into her room.
The Elf Beast immediately jumped onto her desk, looking around the room with wide curious eyes.
"So this is Mistress I mean… Lyra's home!"
Lyra crossed her arms.
"You still haven't told me your name."
The creature puffed its chest proudly.
"My name is Elyx!"
Lyra nodded slowly.
"Well, Elyx, if you're staying here you'll have to stay quiet."
Elyx saluted dramatically.
"Yes, Lyra!"
Lyra finally laid back on her bed.
But her mind was racing.
A mysterious creature that claimed she once saved it…
Memories she couldn't recall…
And a bloodline power she barely understood.
Something about her past was clearly missing.
As Lyra slowly drifted to sleep, Elyx curled up quietly beside the window, keeping watch over the room.