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Chapter Sixty-Two—The Mystery Within Your Element

       

  “I assure you something like this won’t happen again,” Ambrose declared, staring anxiously at Nikki. “They are entirely evil- I suppose I can say at this point. They’ve made an action that they can’t take back.”

          “How’d they get inside the boundaries in the first place?” I exclaimed, pointing out my hand as if the boundaries were right next to me. “Seriously, I thought we fixed this.”

          “You did,” Ambrose assured us quickly. “But with something as powerful and somewhat pure as the High Order, they would have been able to get inside. The boundary really only detects what they had done in the past, not in the future.”

          “But Malistaire was inside the man, Ambrose. Doesn’t that count?” Sophia asked angrily.

          Ambrose frowned. “Wolf, call the Hunter. Tell him it’s urgent and to report to the Fighter’s Base. Quickly - now.”

          “Yes, Headmaster.” Wolf nodded swiftly and left the room, his hand on his sword. There was something that radiated off of him; like a great confidence or determination. I felt a ping of relief from that glow of him, for great confidence and determination was exactly what we needed right now.

          “You hired the Hunter to protect us, Headmaster.” I scowled at him. “Where is he when all of these things were occurring? Why wasn’t he there?”

          “The Hunter’s job is a little more… undercover, Mary.” Ambrose’s voice sounded strained. “He’s recovering at the moment.”

          “You mean he got hurt?”

          “Yes, Mary, he is hurt. But of course, he will endure, because he has something worth living for.” The door opened, and Ambrose turned in greeting. “Ah, watch your step- there’s a corpse. “

          The Hunter walked in examining the corpse hatefully, taking his time to walk around it. “Well, it’s nice to see him again. Dead.”

          “Wolf broke his neck,” I explained hesitantly, glancing at Wolf’s smug look. Looking at the Hunter, I saw that there were many more deep gashes overlapping his scars on his face. His eyes were bloodshot and one of them looked as though he had just healed it from a black eye, for it was still slightly puffy. If he had broken any bones, I suppose he would have healed it before he arrived here- but then again, he had seemed to have walked with a vague limp. “What exactly happened to you?”

          The Hunter glanced at the blood on my lip, and then back at the corpse. “Same thing that happened to you. I was attacked.”

          “Did you know it was Malistaire?” Ellie asked quietly.

          The Hunter glared at her with a sudden fierceness. “Oh yes. I know his eyes very well.”

          I frowned, suddenly wanting to know more about the Hunter. Knowing that right now was not the time however, I stayed silent.

          “Hunter, what was the man carrying at the entrance of the Academy?” Ambrose asked, his eyes fixated on the Hunter. “Was he carrying anything at all?”

          The Hunter was at the boundaries? I blinked, confused. Why?

          “The man was not possessed by Malistaire when he crossed the boundaries,” The Hunter explained gruffly. “But crossing over the boundaries was difficult for the man. I noticed the difficulty and confronted him, as I am supposed to do, of course. The man was indeed carrying a small box; like a jewelry box. Thinking of it now, I find myself stupid enough to not have noticed that the box was made out of Prehnite and Tourmaline.”

          “Piranhas and what?” Bell blurted out, dumfounded.       

          “Prehnite and Tourmaline, Bell.” Nikki told her quickly. “They aren’t very bad stones, really. It just depends on how you use them. Prehnite is said to be the stone of remembered dreams, meditation and prophecy, while Tourmaline is said to strengthen both body and spirit.”

          “So how is this related?” I asked, but then my eyes suddenly widened. “No way…”

          “What?”

          “Hunter, did the man open the box?” Ambrose asked warily.

          “I ordered him to, yes. When he opened it, however, there was nothing inside-“

          “What do you mean there was nothing inside?” Ellie asked, irritated.

          “There was something inside,” I interrupted loudly. “Or someone, I suppose I should say. The man, probably compelled, brought the box inside the Academy with Malistaire’s soul inside of it.”

          “I saw nothing until the man started choking, and his eyes turned pitch black, like a shark’s. I knew then that it was Malistaire, and…” The Hunter trailed off, as if lost in thought.

          I turned to Ambrose fearfully. “Could something like this happen again?”

          Ambrose frowned, thinking. “No… Removing his soul from his body and placing it inside of something is very dangerous. If anything had happened to the box, then his soul would have been in lost for eternity. Considering how long he had been out of his body, I suspect that he won’t be doing it again. However, if anybody else tries to get inside the Academy with a mysterious object of any kind, they will not be allowed entrance. It doesn’t matter if it’s a safe object or not; nobody is allowed.”

          “I’m starting to think that the Academy isn’t the safest place after all…” Bell looked sick as she hugged herself. “If it really is, then I’m terrified of what will happen on the boat to Krokotopia…”

          “What world do you think Malistaire is in right now, Ambrose?” Nikki spoke up softly, her eyes glistening with anxiety and sorrow.

          Wolf took a step forward and answered this himself. “If I had to guess, I’d say Marleybone, given the influence that world has over the rest of the Spiral. It’s probably the best vantage point for scouting the rest of the worlds, what with it being the most technologically advanced world we know of.”

          Sophia grinned, stroking one of her arrows softly. “I would love a good fight between him and me.”

          I gaped at Sophia. “He could kill you. They have weapons there that can kill Angels.”

          “Yeah, well, he can kill all of you too. I’d rather die fighting than die without ever getting to fight.” Sophia replied smugly. “You don’t know how much I’d give up just to kick his ugly little ass.”

          While Sophia talked, Ambrose spoke up to the Hunter and Wolf. “Hunter, I’d like you to double the amount of guards around the boundaries. I want both you and Wolf, along with Mr. Swifthorn to be present there as well. Be sure to take the corpse to the Necropolis before midnight.”

          Wolf frowned. “Do I stay near the boundaries all night? I’ve got a class to teach tomorrow.”

          Ambrose answered his question with a stone-cold stare, and Wolf sighed. The Hunter and Wolf left the room with the corpse of the man in tow, without a goodbye. Ambrose turned to us once more, his hands folded together calmly. “Mary, I must speak with you about your amulet.”

          I raised my hand to touch my bare skin, where the amulet was supposed to be. Ambrose narrowed his eyes, but thankfully did not ask any questions. “I see that you are not currently wearing your amulet, which is… fine. However, whether you are to put your amulet back on or not, you might not have a choice.”

          I glanced at Nikki, who was frowning in disbelief. “But… Why?”

          This was not part of the plan. What we had decided was far from never getting my amulet back; Nikki was to figure out the translation and then give the amulet back to me, so that everyone can be safe again.

          “Even though I don’t really know why your amulet is not on you at the moment, I take it as a good thing.” Ambrose explained with tension. “The amulet should have been taken off a long time ago, and I hate myself for waiting so long. Perhaps if Sylvia was still alive, she would have known better. She was an intelligent woman. But, however, you have been wearing the amulet for much longer than you should have in the first place, therefore making you more dangerous and powerful than anyone else in the Spiral, except perhaps…”

          “Malistaire.” I swallowed dryly, turning my face away. I wondered what this conversation was going to.

          “Yes, your father. He has an immense army of creatures, powerful people, societies, the undead, and Demons. I have a feeling that he won’t stop there.”

          “So why in the worlds do you want my amulet taken away from me?” I exclaimed in frustration. “The amulet protects people.”

          “The amulet protects people from the only thing that can conquer your father and his army, Mary. Your power is what we need. It’s been stored up so long that it’s yearning to burst from your Angelic soul. If your amulet had been taken off earlier and if you had let parts of that magic go time by time, you wouldn’t be so dangerous to the Enchanted race right now.” Before I could speak, Ambrose put up his hand. “But there is, of course, an advantage in the disadvantage your amulet has given us. Yes, you are dangerous to the people you love, and yes, you may not survive your own power. You can still use your amulet, but only in its sword form. I can bewitch it into a permanent sword. But your real weapon will be channeling the magic that you can use against others to kill Malistaire and his Demons…”

          “You think I can kill all five of the Demons?”

          “Don’t underestimate yourself, Mary.” Ambrose’s eyes narrowed into mine, his glass eye rolling in its socket. “You may be, in fact, the Spiral’s last hope. You, Mary, are now their savior, whether they like it or not.”

          Ambrose walked to the open door, but stopped at the entrance to the heated outside. Turning his head, his silver hair glistened in the light of the torchlight. “I will give you the decision to give me your amulet and bewitch it so it is permanently a sword. It is your choice. The lives of many rest in your hands.”

          He then shut the door, the resulting billow of air blowing out the fire of the torchlight into darkness.        

          The night slipped through my fingers as I pondered over all these choices and decisions that hung heavy over me. I yearned to have my amulet in my hands, as if studying it would give me any kind of answer. Nikki, however, still held it in her possession.

          Many of the others attempted to give me their opinions and ideas of whether I should bewitch the amulet or not; eventually, they learned that I didn’t want to cooperate and that this was my own decision to make.

          I could either bewitch the amulet and endanger everyone I loved, although the power it allows me gives me the advantage everyone needs to kill Malistaire and perhaps save the Spiral from doom. Or, of course, I could keep the amulet on me and find a different way to kill Malistaire without endangering anyone’s lives, although everyone seemed to disagree with the idea of it. Especially Wolf, who I think already, feels as though I already announced my decision, considering he’s already giving orders on how to handle myself without my amulet.

          I didn’t know what to think. There were too many threats; I had gone too far with Malistaire when he had provoked me. They had warned me- even Caspian had attempted to stop me from my actions, even though I could have hurt him.

          I could have hurt Wolf, too. He was a true warrior, and I should have listened to him while he demanded I stay with him when the others left the dining room to see the High Council man possessed by my father. Wolf was well trained, and therefore he could most likely sense when something is wrong. It’s his nature, as my nature is to be wise. But how stupid can I turn out to be every time something like this happens? Could somebody as reckless as I be someone like… an Angel of Wisdom?

          I am young, I suppose. But considering all of my responsibilities, I shouldn’t act like a child, even though it is allowed for every other girl my age. I am past being a teenager, and many could say that I am now a lady with many issues that she is being ordered to solve. It’s as though people expect me to make perfect choices because I have been named ‘the wisest’, while I haven’t even had any more experience than them in these times of danger and chaos. Don’t they understand that I don’t know any better than them? Not even Nikki, who is an expert of intelligence because of her nature, does not know every single fact in existence- so why should I know every correct choice?

          What is it to be wise, anyways? To know the difference between right and wrong? Everyone knows the difference deep inside- society and life teaches people the lesson of right and wrong, even though people choose not to follow the right path.

          Or perhaps it’s just logic. To have the ability to never be incorrect in terms of planning things out and making sure everything ends up alright. To have good judgment of others, as if I could tell who to trust and who to fight.  

          Whatever it is, and whatever impact it somehow has on my spirit and mind, I pray that my gift of wisdom doesn’t leave me. Especially now. I took breaths periodically to relax, knowing that I shouldn’t truly be afraid of the outcome of my decisions. I needed to dig down deep into my conscience and trust myself. If something bad happened, I know everything will turn out alright in the end. If it didn’t, then it’s obviously not the end. Just like the others, I must endure.

          I slept very few hours in the night, for every time I fell asleep, I had nightmares of terrible outcomes from decisions. My decisions. There were times where I woke up with cold chills after seeing people murdered at my hand; others where Malistaire’s army attacked us when we were leaving Dragonspyre on our boats, unable to reach each other. I saw ourselves dying cold and alone, leaving the Spiral behind to fend for itself- disappointing everyone, including the Fates themselves. I wondered if we would be punished for failing such a thing.

          In the early hours of the morning, I gave into my fear for a moment or two. Surely, trying to convince myself to trust my decisions was becoming much more difficult the more I thought about it. Ellie was sound asleep in her bed, locks of dark ringlets hanging over her calm face, moving slightly at the little breeze from her soft breathing.

          I opened my bedroom door, where a rush of warmth from the hallway pushed through. The dull hallway was hauntingly still; it never seemed to change. The familiar greyish light shone through the old, cracked windows, lighting up the floor in strips.

          I didn’t really know where I was going- I just wanted to move. To do something that wasn’t thinking about my amulet and my choices. Perhaps I should get a drink of water for my headache? But I didn’t feel like walking to the kitchen.

          I took a few more steps down the hallway mindlessly, but stopped abruptly from sudden exhaustion. It was as though my body was rebelling against me; I was tired, but my mind had terrorized me enough to refuse my thoughts of sleeping.

          I turned to a window and leaned against the window sill. I couldn’t see outside of the window, for the type of glass was blended and unclear. Still, I stared at the brightness for a while, almost mesmerized. Somehow, it seemed to make me feel as though I had a clear head for once.

          Fatigue fell over me as I slid to the floor, running my fingers through my tangled hair, resting my elbow on my knee. I was wearing a tank top and flannel shorts, which were the only type of clothing I could obtain to help with the heat. In fact, I had borrowed the clothes from Ellie. Still, however, I couldn’t help fanning myself.

          There was a soft sound at the top of the stairs, leading to the hallway. Looking up, I saw a dark figure looming at the entrance, watching me. I didn’t stand up or really acknowledge the figure; instead I sat on the floor silently, staring off into space. I waited for the person to speak, and he did.

          “Nice pajamas.”

           I laughed softly, and turned my head. “I’m not entirely used to the heat of Dragonspyre just yet.”

          Caspian walked forward, the light of the window hitting him radiantly. “Why don’t you sleep?”

          “I can’t.” I narrowed my eyes. “Why don’t you?”

          “I can’t.” Caspian mimicked me, although it didn’t sound like a joke.  “But, then again, I’m not really being commanded to make choices that can possibly murder every living creature in the Spiral revolving around a certain anger management problem.”

          I glared at him. “Really Caspian, I’m not in the mood.”

Caspian chuckled as he walked forward, and slid to the ground to sit next to me in the middle of the hallway. “That’s probably the first time a lady has ever told me that. I think somebody deserves a prize.’

“Great.” I replied slowly.

“I’m talking about me, of course.”

I smacked him in the chest with the back of my hand, but his comment made me laugh.

          There was a slow silence, until he spoke again. “So, what do you think you’re going to do?”

          I shrugged as I looked at him solemnly. “I don’t know, Caspian. There's always a choice. Whenever I make one, someone else suffers.”

Caspian frowned, and his eyes looked down in thought. “Everyone has to suffer sometime, Mary. The question, however, is this: are you going to do what’s easy, or what’s right?”

          I bit my lip. “What if doing what’s right gets everyone killed? And wearing my amulet still doesn’t make it any easier.”

          “But having everyone die is much harder.” Caspian answered softly. “And I’m pretty damn sure that everyone here right now would gladly give up their lives to kill Malistaire and save our future from all of its doom and gloom.”

          I sighed, and found myself leaning on him. He didn’t seem to notice. “I promise I will do everything in my power to make sure we all come back alive.”

          Sitting by him felt warm and comforting, as if he was really trying to help. “We all have the same promise, Mary.”

          I nodded as I rested my cheek against his shoulder. “The power that has been given to me makes me more terrible than anyone, but I will keep this promise. I give you my word.”

          “To be fair, you really are bad-ass right now.”

I laughed again. “I doubt that. I haven’t done anything worthwhile, for the most part.”

“You little liar.” Caspian huffed, amused. “From what I’ve heard, you stopped Malistaire from killing the Headmaster on your first day of school. You endured many deaths of friends and loved ones, saved a village or two, fought a few Demons, helped slay a wild beast, fought your own psychotic father multiple times, have been to the Spirit World and back, pissed off the Queen of Marleybone, solved one of the largest crimes in the history of the Enforcement, fought a band of pirates on a ship, saved a few Angels, fought Krokopatra for the Krokonomicon, have been inside the Order of the Fang, and I recall you saying that you have died before?”

“I'd honestly just settle for ordinary.”

Caspian shrugged. “Ordinary is nice, I guess. Less glory, but its decent.”

“I don’t care about glory that much.”

 “You could always lure Malistaire out alone and kill him then.” Caspian smirked.

“Ha. Me as Malistaire-bait? Good luck with that. I’d end up blasting out the Spiral with my explosive problem.”

 “I… Well, that’s true. But if anybody is going to be bait, it’s you. He’s obsessed with you, for Fates sake.”

I turned to him in disbelief, frowning. “Says who?!”

 “Says all the times he’s targeted you and not the others.” Caspian looked at me as though it was obvious. I suppose it really was.

 “That doesn’t mean he’s obsessed with me.” I replied defensively. Honestly, I didn’t really want to think about it. I knew it was true, but it was also disturbing.

Caspian chuckled. “You have no idea.”

There was a short silence between us as we sat on the dusty floor, huddled together. Finally, Caspian spoke up, his voice strained. “This is going to be a hard battle, isn’t it? A lot of people will die.”

It took me a moment to find the right answer. “The hardest battle I believe I ever am going to fight is the battle just to be myself. Not an Angel, or a warrior, or the daughter of a serial killer. Just me, an average girl whose biggest concern is her philosophies, or the boy she is dating.”

Caspian laughed, and I scowled at him. ”But I’m serious, Caspian. If I was still that average girl who lived in Wizard City, I’d probably be running wild. I’d have a proper job and I’d celebrate holidays with friends and family in my own house, toasting to happiness and all of its wonders with a glass of champagne. I’d have my own adventures that don’t always have to be life threatening, and I’d have my own romantic interests and activities.”

“…Activities?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, romantic activities. I’m nineteen, Caspian.”

Caspian buried his face in his hand, choking on a laugh. “By the Fates, Mary, you’re so naïve.”

 “Shut up.” I smirked, nudging him with my elbow. “It’s not like I said I want to get married and have quadruplets or something.”

“Yeah, okay.”

He was still laughing, until I couldn’t contain myself and I began giggling as well. We sat there, laughing, like immature children giggling over nonsense. 

          In the end, I covered his mouth with my hand to muffle him. “You’re going to wake someone up.”

          His eyes squinted at mine and I removed my hand. “It’s five in the morning. They are going to get up soon for school anyways.”

          I raised my eyebrow. “Five? Since when?”

          “Since two minutes ago.” He pointed at the grandfather clock that stood in the corner, collecting dust.

          I gaped, and then glared. “I stayed out here way too long. You need to stop distracting me, mister.”

          He leaned back, amused. “Oh, I’m sorry. I was just strolling along in my own house where I saw a girl, half dressed, sitting on the floor in a dark hallway like some patient in a mental hospital-“

          “I am not half dressed!”

          “Oh really? Because those shorts are short enough to be underwear.”

          “They belong to Ellie. I had to borrow them because the small amount of pajamas I obtained are being washed.” I scowled at him spitefully. “And it’s dreadfully hot here.”

          “So you decided to go waltzing around through my house in underwear-compatible shorts?”

          I shook my head, laughing. “You’re impossible, aren’t you? It was in the middle of the night. I didn’t expect you.”

          “Foolish girl! I am nocturnal! You should know better.”

          “And you should learn how to control your manners.” I smirked, crossing my arms. “You are a tad bit dirty minded.”

          “No, I just have a sexy imagination.” Caspian defended himself, sitting up straight with his fist on his heart. “It’s the truth.”

          I felt lightheaded with laughter as I sat back, watching dust twirl within the rays of the upcoming sunrise. Caspian joined me for a moment or two, until I felt him shift his gaze towards me. I felt goose bumps, although it wasn’t from any kind of chill. I wanted him to stop staring with those piercing eyes; the longer he did, the more self-conscious I felt.

          “You’re staring.”

          “So? What’s it to you?” He replied stubbornly.

          I looked at him. “It’s considered creepy.”

          “Well, doesn’t that tarnish my reputation.” Caspian sarcastically sulked, finally moving his intense gaze.

          I stared at him for a moment, wondering what to say. I wondered if I could truly trust him.

          I sighed, and sat up from the dusty wooden floor. “I’m going to leave now, Caspian. I have a busy day ahead of me. Thank you for talking to me.”

          I took a step forward, but Caspian, still on the floor, grabbed my wrist. “What you did back there was incredibly stupid, Mary. I hope you know that.”

          I shook his hand from my wrist, remembering my attack on Malistaire that could have taken our lives. “I do. I always will.”

          His eyes softened, and he leaned back in satisfaction and relief.  

          But my eyes hardened, and I clenched my fists. “But the next time you try to save me, I’ll make sure I break your legs in the process. The only person who I allow to save me at this moment is myself, and I’m going to keep it that way.”

          I then swiftly walked out of the hallway, leaving a blank expression upon his shadowed face.

  

We left early morning. The dry air withheld no breeze, and I felt as though walking through the Academy was almost as difficult as walking through water. The armor I wore was heavy, and the fiery weather gifted no mercy.

          Walking past the infirmary and the corridor to the class of Life, I noticed the sharp clang of metal against metal. I instantly recognized it as swords, and then a blast of light shone upon the medieval buildings, casting large shadows which revolved around the crowd of people, along Bell and I.

          “People are training outside now.” Bell observed, craning her neck.

          “I don’t see why not. The real fight will be out in the open space anyways.” I replied as we turned into a dim lit corridor, jumping every other stair.

          “I suppose so… Until somebody accidentally turns a student into a toad.”

          “At least my father would never think of killing a toad,” I joked hastily as we trekked through a stifled courtyard full of students. “Unless he finds joy in squishing them with his gigantic foot.”

          “It’s probably another fetish of his.” Bell smirked, amused.

          “I wouldn’t be surprised.”

          We entered the classroom of Balance, where we took our seats among the masses of students. I was determined to learn as much as I could, but at the same time, to not actually do the magic. If I slipped up even once, I could do much worse than turning a student into a toad.

          I was incredibly lucky to still be here in the first place. A wise person would take me out of the classes and teach me differently; but of course, there is no time for wisdom at the moment. The last thing anyone needs is for me to die last minute.

          Thankfully, I managed to get away with little magic. Doing little things such as stunning and blocking was easy, and that time bomb inside of me was barely stirred. I knew something such as serious magic would send my power boiling through.

          But this was training for war. Balance may have been easier today, but the next six classes exhausted me. It was difficult to do serious attacks and blows without letting some power out; for me, it was even more difficult, considering I had to limit the power. I could feel something within me feel strained and tight, as if something had wind me up and was dying to let me go. Many times I had to sit down and control my heartbeat and the pounding in my head, only to be lectured by others who believed I was being ‘lazy’.

          Dueling with swords was my savior in my eighth period. The only magic that could be used was to control the sword without touching the handle, which was small magic. Simple and safe.

          I had to borrow a sword from somebody this time, however. I missed my own enchanted sword, but it was back at the manor in its amulet form. The basic swords were thinner and weak, and uncomfortable to handle.

          It was soon around four-o’clock, and the clouded sky had begun to grow darker. I met up with Ellie and Bell at the stone ranches, where the hundreds of horses were kept. Our horses were saddled and bridled, and we were ordered to use a diversity of weapons while cantering, which was simple compared to shooting an arrow while on a gallop, which was incredibly bumpy and uncomfortable. The canter was smooth, however, and tightening your legs on the sides of the horse helped with using the weapons while posting.

          Bell’s horse trotted over to mine, and she was holding onto the saddle wide-eyed, bouncing crazily. At least it wasn’t like before, where she had always looked like she was going to fall off.

          “I’m in so much pain,” Bell squeaked out when her horse stopped, its head brushing against my boot. “I feel like my gut is jiggling.”

          A woman in maroon armor steered her horse near Bell, who was still crouched in an awkward position. The woman sat up straight, her hands on the reins, and her shoulders back. “Child, sit up in your seat. You look like toddler hanging onto to its mother. Act like a soldier and hold your reins.”

          “Yes miss.” Bell quickly fixed herself, and the woman trotted away to lecture another student. Bell, however, slumped in her saddle once more. “I have saddle sores, and I feel like my insides are bruised. I hate horses.”

“But aren’t you are supposed to be a nature-lover?”

          “Feeling like I’m being raped by a horse is not nature. It’s painful.”

          “Why don’t you try posting?” I asked, trying to be helpful.

          “I don’t like posting. It hurts my back when I ride.” Bell replied, frustrated.

          Ellie appeared from behind me on a large, chocolate-brown horse. “Posting is like humping the saddle, Bell. I’m surprised you don’t like it.”

          Bell rolled her eyes, and did not reply.

          “Hi Ellie,” I smiled as the three of us walked slowly on our horses, moving at the pace of the people in front of us. “How are you this fine afternoon?”

          “I’m failing archery, I think.” Ellie winced, irritated. “I’ll have to talk to Sophia about that. Thank the Fates I’ll have her by my side in Marleybone.”

          “I think we’d all want her on our side wherever we go, Ellie.” I laughed softly. “She’ll kill anything.”

          “She must have been a strange version of Red Riding Hood.” Ellie spoke honestly. “I always imagine a little girl in a red cloak skipping down a trail, not an Angelic killer machine with a bow.”

          I shrugged. “I never really thought about it as strange. You were Rapunzel, and Rapunzel was supposed to have long, glorious locks of golden hair…”

          Ellie touched her own silky hair, which was as black as night. “Yeah…”

          “Nikki was Snow White, and she fit the description of Snow White exactly, except she had red hair, and I…” Bell trailed off timidly, and I saw a muscle in her jaw tighten.

          “You were Beauty and the Beast.”

          “Don’t remind me.” Bell hissed out. “I almost got molested by that disgusting beast.”

          “Abby, of course, wasn’t affected by the curse.” I added with a ping of jealousy.

          “Neither were you?” Ellie told me, but she sounded slightly confused.

          “Oh, yes she was.” Bell laughed, staring at me. “Mary was Prince Charming.”

          I rolled my eyes, but Ellie gaped. “Mary is what?”

          “I helped save all of you, so technically, I would be the Prince.” I sighed, steering my horse. “As sad as it is…”

          Ellie shrugged. “Interesting. But Mary, I have a question…”

          I looked at her. “What is it?”

          “It’s not really related to the past, really. I’m just wondering about your decision with… You know. Your amulet?”

          I blinked, for I had not forgotten the choice I had to make. I, however, had not made the decision yet. “I don’t know. It’s dangerous. People could die, and or suffer great consequences because of me.”

          “You cannot save everyone, Mary. People are going to have to suffer. Although I guarantee that everyone here would gladly give up their lives to kill Malistaire and save our future.” Ellie assured me, her bright eyes glowing with sympathy.

          I glanced at her, and then stared at my hands for a moment. “Caspian told me something close to that. I’m starting to think he’s right.”

          Ellie turned her head, and Bell tilted her head to the side so she could listen. “You talked to Caspian for advice?”

          “Well, not on purpose. He kind of snuck up on me.”

          “When was this?” Ellie asked, momentarily interested.

          “It was sometime last night. I think around one or two in the morning.” I thought back, and I remembered the dusty hallway. I wondered how we managed to not wake anyone up with our chatter.

          Bell suddenly blocked my horse, steering hers in front of mine. “Say what?!”

          “I…” My eyes widened, and I groaned, making my horse push past her. “By the Fates, Bell. Why must you always think like that?”

          “I’m sorry! It’s a habit.” Bell cried out in protest. “Why were you up so late, then?”

          “I couldn’t sleep. I was stressed out, alright?” I answered curtly.

          “I imagine that he pissed you off even more, then?” Bell sighed, shaking her head. “Stupid, cocky boys and their man-periods.”

          “I- no. Shut up Bell.”

          “I agree with Bell, actually. Caspian does tend to piss you off.” Ellie added defensively.

          I frowned, deep in thought. “No, actually, not this time. In fact, he made me feel better.”

          “I wonder why. He must care a little bit then, I suppose, even though he hates your ass at the moment.” Ellie decided as we began to trot towards the stables.

          “Well, I wouldn’t say that he hates her ass.” Bell grinned as she hung on to her saddle.

          “You know what I mean, Bell.” Ellie scowled at her. “From what I’ve seen, he’s not particularly fond of Mary. I don’t really know why.”

          “Maybe Mary makes him feel vulnerable?” Bell asked as we slid off of our saddles, wincing at the pain in our legs and back.

          “Why would he feel vulnerable because of me?” I laughed out at the possibility. “He doesn’t seem…”

          “Mary, I’ve heard Abby talk about Caspian. Obviously, he is the type of guy that gets what he wants, considering that Abby and he are from a rich family. He was attracted to you at some point-“

          “Don’t say that this is my fault. Just because I rejected him the first time doesn’t prove anything. It’s him that hates me.” I replied angrily.

          “You slapped him, right?” Ellie smirked.

          “I slapped him because he insulted me. I was going through a tough time, and I didn’t need some pretty boy to go shit-crazy on pointing out flaws I already knew I had.” I answered sharply.

          “It’s your dad’s fault Caspian lost his parents, Mary. Of course, once he recognized you, he was going to be pissed and he was going to hate you. Like I said, he used to be the kind of boy who could get anything he wanted, whether it was something you had to pay for, or a girl of any kind. He is an attractive bloke, I’ll give you that. Once he lost it all, he must have lost some part of his pride, because people like him are more dependent on material things.” Ellie explained knowingly.

          “Caspian? Dependent? I can’t even imagine.” I laughed.

          “Once a man falls in love, he will become more dependent on his lover, as she will on him. It’s natural. Perhaps Caspian’s independence had grown, and then you had subconsciously threatened to lower it. Perhaps he had some kind newfound need to be around you; to talk to you, to depend on you-”

          “You are taking this way too far, Ellie.” I interrupted her. “He had just met me. We still barely know each other. Just because he may have felt attracted to me once doesn’t mean we should still pretend he still does now. When I thought he was dead, I was depressed, I admit. I was heartbroken. I needed him because I thought there was something there, but there wasn’t. You see, when facing something frightening and knowing you might die because of it, you may feel a little desperate. You want to look back into your life and say that you lived. I don’t want to feel a silly crush before I die! I want to feel love. You see, I was just desperate- but I can assure you that Caspian and I never had anything more than a small attraction.”

          I glared at her and tightened the knot in the rope that held the horse to the stable. “I’ll see you next period.”

          I then stormed out of the stables, emotions rushing through me. It wasn’t entirely anger, but I was boiling inside with a fiery irritation and a strong annoyance that made me want to punch Caspian in the face to say ‘thanks a lot.’

          I walked into Wolf’s class alone, but was soon followed by Ellie and Bell. Just in case they wanted to continue the conversation from before, I distanced myself from them by sitting next to Nikki. She was the only person I knew wouldn’t talk to me about him, considering she was going through a similar phase with her ‘doctor.’ Abby was out of the question; she was his sister. Of course she’d bring him up.

          Sophia sat next to me as well, while Nikki babbled on about her stressful problems with the amulet, on how difficult the translation was turning out to be.

          “Did you see that epic shot I did in archery, Mary?” Sophia asked me excitedly. “It went right through that kid’s arrow. It split! You saw it, right?”

          I nodded, not listening to a word she was saying. I was watching Wolf, who for some reason hadn’t started class yet. Instead, he was pacing around the front of the classroom, as if preparing for something. He paid no attention to us.

          After a minute or two, Wolf stopped and he faced the class. His piercing stare silenced the crowd as he stood there, his hands behind his back. The room suddenly turned darker, and almost colder, but Wolf looked as though he was illuminated by his own light.

          His violet eyes surveyed us, and suspense fell heavy over the room.

          “Today is a day that you will never forget. It is the day that will change the overall chance of you surviving in this upcoming war,” Wolf spoke deeply, his eyes gleaming with truth. His black hair fell over his dark face as he stood stone-still in the center of the room, never blinking. “It is the day that may save your life.”

          I glanced at Sophia and Nikki, who both wore grave looks upon their faces, enhanced by the dimness of the room. This was serious.

          “When each of you became an Umbrata Venustus, you were only halfway through the transformation. Your bodies are ready for the servitude of this magic; they are ready to fight, and to use powers you’ve never even heard of.” Wolf grinned darkly, as if he had waited eternity for this moment. “Today, you become one with the shadows.”

          What he had said drew gasps throughout the classroom, as the room turned into pitch darkness. There were whispers for a moment, almost a panic. However, Wolf appeared once more, except he was on the other far side of the room, up on a stage. How he got there so fast, I wouldn’t know.

          There was no light shining upon him. In fact, there was no light at all coming from anywhere but him. He was shining gloriously, as if he had drained the atmosphere of the room from its natural light and took it for himself, so it radiated off of him. It was ironic, considering he was the master of shadows himself.

          Wolf drew out his hand, and like a magician with a mysterious trick, an incredibly large screen appeared. No, not a screen- it was air. Colorful air.

          It was as if he had pulled out the world’s largest piece of paper, except it was made out of particles. The particles formed words, and it was as if we were watching a movie. Had Wolf conjured something scientific with the magic of shadows?

          I stared at the words formed on the large, magical screen.

The Mystery Within Your Element

Umbrata Venustus

          The image stayed there for a moment, until Wolf waved his hand and another image appeared. My eyes widened, and I finally recognized this as a magically created slideshow made out of air.

          “When you obtain your powers to the fullest, you will be imprinted by your soul, for this magic will become part of your soul. The way you are imprinted is by your soul’s being; some may call this your ‘Spirit Animal.’

          I stared in wonder at the screen of a man with a tattoo of a bear on his chest. The bear’s eyes seem to glow a greenish emerald, but I wasn’t sure if it was just me or a trick in the particles.

          Wolf rolled up his sleeve, showing his bare arm. Lifting it up, I was surprised to see a blackness that was entwined around his arm, almost as if it was a moving animal constricting his muscles. I leaned back in surprise when I realized that he was imprinted with the spirit animal of a serpent. Its eyes, however, had a vague whiteness to them… Was I imagining this?

          “The type of powers you shall acquire, however, depends on the element your soul chooses best for you. For me, my soul chose the element of Death, alike with my elemental school. But the element that is chosen will not be chosen based off of your elemental school, nor from your genetics, such as your parent’s elemental schools. It will be based off of who you really are.” Wolf nodded, pulling down his sleeve. “My soul chose Death because it is a dark, mysterious school. I am a person with secrets. With people like me, learning our weaknesses will only make you vulnerable.”

          Wolf waved his hand and another image flashed before us. The symbol of fire rose up, golden and bright. “You will discover what element your soul had picked when you see the color of your imprint’s eyes. If your imprint doesn’t have eyes, it will be the outline of your imprint that will show any kind of color. For fire, its maroon. Fire elementals can create a special fire that turns solid, like I can create a solid shadow. Almost like a solid wall of raging hot fire.”

          Wolf waved his hand again, and the image changed.

          The symbol of Ice glowed through, cold but still burning. “The element’s signature color is light blue. Ice elementals can be fiercely underestimated; they can give people serious frostbite at the bare touch, but if they touch you in the right spot, they can freeze through a lot more than that. People tend to not mess with them.”

          Whispers cascaded throughout the room, but were silenced once more by Wolf’s intense gaze. The image changed once more.

          The next one was Storm. “Storm’s signature color for the imprint’s eyes is a strong, radiating purple. People with this elemental power can condense particles in the air into acidic rain that will douse their enemies. And no, it doesn’t do much damage, but there is a lot of rain. They are a wonderful addition to any battle. I hope to see many of them.” Wolf eyed the room, and then waved his hand once more.

          The image changed to Balance. “The element’s signature color for you to look for is a tannish gold, like the lovely sands of Krokotopia. Balance elemental’s power is unique, for they can control matter. They can warp, twist, bend, and manipulate anything that has a physical form into anything they desire. Of course, with such a magnificent power comes sacrifice. The user is unable to move while performing such magic, leaving them vulnerable to attacks from all sides. Protect these people at all costs; their power is invaluable.”

          Wolf nodded at the image. “That is the last image for the external elements, although Balance is both external and internal. The next few images are the mental elements.”

          The next image was Death, which Wolf explained with pride. “The Death elemental’s signature color is white, for it is the color of rest and peace. Their power, however, is a fun one. Death elementals can animate just about any matter.” With this, he reached into his pocket and revealed a pile of small rocks, holding it out in front of him. The class glanced quizzically at the compilation, until Wolf brought his idle hand up above the first one. Wolf’s eyes began to glow pure white, as did his hands, despite the fact that they were hidden beneath leather gloves. The pile of rocks slowly started to take shape, and eventually, it formed a somewhat portly figure. His eyes and hands returned to their previous state, and he set the small creature down on the ground, where it proceeded to wobble around on two stubby legs aimlessly. I could hear a couple of the girls down near the front row ‘aww’-ing at what they thought was an adorable pet of some sort. Wolf waved his radiating hand again, and the figure instantly fell apart, and was once again reduced to the state it had begun in; a pile of rocks.

          He let the students murmur about the aspect of being a Death elemental for a moment, until he reluctantly changed the image once more.

          The next image was for Life. “The Life elemental’s color is, naturally, emerald green. Their power is physical, despite the element being a mentally-based element. They have the ability of shape-shifting. With this, they can transform into any creature of their choosing, albeit a shadowy version. However, when they change, they can’t revert back into their human form for at least seven minutes… so choose wisely.”

          Wolf waved his hand, and the next image changed to Myth. “The Myth elemental’s signature color is a sunny yellow. Their power is the most mental of all the others, and it’s very complex. If one of the Myth elementals dreams something, such as a place, it can become real until the next time you fall asleep. Most of the time, however, the Myth elemental will not be aware of their dreams, so they usually cannot access these imaginary places that become real.”

          I gaped. That would be a tremendous power against Malistaire.

          “That, of course, is the rarest elemental to be chosen by your soul.” Wolf explained knowingly. “Don’t expect to get Myth.”

          “How we are going to get these powers?” I asked, turning to Nikki.

          Nikki shrugged warily. “Nobody knows but him…”

          Students talked loudly, until Wolf clapped his hands and we fell silent once more. “It’s time.”

          We exchanged glances awkwardly.

          Wolf grinned darkly and snapped his fingers. Suddenly, a large veil of heaviness fell upon me, and blackness engulfed me. Wolf’s next words rang in my ear as I slid to the floor, feeling a burning vibration running along the skin of my back. I could practically hear the malicious smile that accompanied his next words.

          “Goodnight, children.”

  

       I woke abruptly, my back stinging uncomfortably. It was as if my back had been terribly sunburnt, and I winced as I stood up. Looking around, others were standing up as well, dazed and wincing as well.

          “The hell…” Bell stumbled forward. “What did Wolf do to me to make me feel so sunburnt?!”

          “It’s our imprint,” I breathed heavily, wishing I could heal the ache. “We had the same feeling when we received the tattoo on the back of our necks, remember? This imprint must be really big, though.”

          “Mine too.” Ellie groaned, walking up behind Bell. Abby, Sophia, and Nikki rose uncomfortably as well. “I would show all of you, but I may have to take off my pants to do so.”

          “Wait,” My eyes widened, remembering Wolf’s lesson. “Wait, no. I need to look at mine. I want to know the element my soul chose.”

          “Oh yeah. We have powers now, don’t we?” Abby replied, checking herself out. “I don’t feel any different. Am I supposed to feel empowered?”

          Wolf appeared out of the shadows, and people’s voices turned to whispers.

          “I’m afraid we are out of time for today. I’d prefer for many of you to stay longer so we can discuss your imprints, but it will have to wait. For tonight’s homework, I want you to figure out the element your soul chose and I want you to try practicing your newfound powers. Tomorrow, we will split up into groups and we will practice together. Class dismissed.”

          “No way!” Abby cried out in anger. “I can’t wait until tonight! Why can’t turn my head around without breaking my neck?!”

          “Because we don’t want Abby-blood everywhere.” Sophia replied, amused by Abby’s disappointment. “But my imprint is on my chest, and I know Abby and Mary have theirs on their backs. I suggest we go somewhere private with a mirror to check them out.”

          “I can do that without showing my front,” I announced defensively.

          “I know, but we need to get to Astrology.” Ellie told me, grabbing my wrist quickly. “I’m pissed that Wolf didn’t give us a heads-up that he was going to knock us out, and I’m dying to see my element as well. Why must society think terribly of girls who take off their pants in public?!”

          “Not all of society…”

          “Oh, come on.”

          “Sorry.” Bell squeaked out as we rushed out of the classroom. I stared at Ellie in confusion.

          “I can feel it on my entire left leg.”

          Astrology was long and agonizing. I was dying to know what powers I had acquired. Honestly, if Astrology wasn’t on the highest point of Dragonspyre where everyone could see, I’d pull the back of my shirt up in an instant. Well, probably not an instant. I needed to be somewhere where professors wouldn’t really judge, and I didn’t really care who lifted the back of my shirt. It was just the armor that covered me that I had to take off, and I didn’t have time for that, either. 

          The sunburn felt as if it started at the lower part of my back, near my waist, and ended at the nape of my neck. I found myself feeling my back with my hand, but then I would remember I was wearing armor. What was hidden there?

          I almost decided to skip Defense class to go hide somewhere and look, but I knew Caspian would confront me about it later. I honestly didn’t want to see him, though. The discussion between Ellie, Bell, and I still set me on edge. The damn imprint didn’t help very much either, and my brain felt mentally exhausted from holding in my power all day. I yearned to put my amulet back on and feel relief, but I knew it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

          I needed a break, but I walked into the classroom ready to fight, as usual. Caspian was up in the front, wearing his ridiculous mask. Seeing him now, I don’t understand how I couldn’t have recognized him.

          He was setting up shields. Perhaps we’d be using them today. Last week we had been using defensive spells and stuns, along with physical manipulation. Shields should be simple.

          Just like I thought, he ordered us to take a shield. They were large and heavy, and for somebody as short as I am, I discovered that they were quite a hassle to use. Although if somebody was coming at me with a weapon, I would want this hunk of metal in between the enemy and I at all costs.

          Considering there weren’t enough shields for everyone to use, we took turns. Ellie partnered up with me, which was what we usually did, although annoyance was gnawing at my mind. I was angry at her because of the discussion we had earlier, but I couldn’t find a reason why. If Caspian didn’t like me anymore, so be it- I can get over it-but if people keep bringing the situation back up, it’s going to drive me crazy. I can’t stand it. I can’t stand him.

          About halfway into the lesson, Ellie finally spoke up. “Have you thought about your decision?”

          I swallowed dryly as I hurtled towards her with a weak sword, which she blocked perfectly. “Yes. I still don’t have an answer.”

          “If I were you, I wouldn’t do it. I’d keep the amulet, and then take it off when you need your powers.” Ellie blocked me again.

          I shook my head. “It doesn’t work like that. I need to be able to use my sword. If my sword is still enchanted to compress my Angelic powers, then I still won’t be able to use them. If I give my amulet to Ambrose for him to bewitch, I will be able to use my sword without limitations.”

          “But it’s dangerous.”  

          We locked gazes. “I know.”

          After about fifteen minutes, we changed sides. I had the shield, and she had the weapon of her choice. After fighting for a while, she spoke up again. “Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I recognize now that Caspian is a touchy subject for you.”    

          I lowered my shield slightly as I stared at her. “Thanks, Ellie. But I don’t want to talk about it right now. The thought of him gives me a headache.”

          Ellie looked over at Caspian’s direction. “Yeah, I can see why.”

          Looking over at Caspian, I saw a tall girl with neat, brunette hair and blue eyes. Her skin was unnaturally tan, and her leg armor was incredibly short. Her hand was on his chest, and she had a kind of grin that made my insides shudder.

          I turned to Ellie, who wore a blank face. “Like Bell told me once, hopes a bitch. I’d rather get over it while I can.”

          I then lifted up my shield, waiting for Ellie to come at me. But she stood there, sympathy written across her face. “I hope you know that he doesn’t like her.”

          I glanced at the girl, and back at Ellie. “I hope you know that I hope they get together. They deserve each other,” I took a step forward. “Now are you going to fight, or what?”

          Ellie shook her head and sighed. She charged at me, and I steered my shield to the right, blocking her weapon. I could feel the shield vibrate from the impact, making my arm shake. Ellie smiled weakly. “You’re impossible to understand, you know that?”

          I blocked her again. “Yes, unfortunately, I barely know how to understand myself.”

          Ellie laughed at the joke, and charged again. I blocked. We switched, and I charged, while she blocked.

          “Hey,” Caspian’s voice made me jump, and we turned to see him walking up to us. Up close, I noticed how tired he actually looked. “How are both of you?”

          “We’re good…” Ellie smiled, trailing off. I heard Abby call her name from across the room, and she turned around in response. “I have to go over there. Do you need me for anything?”

          Caspian shrugged and shook his head, his hands in his pockets. “No, I just have to ask Mary something.”

          “Okay,” Ellie raised her eyebrow, but she turned and walked towards Abby, leaving me behind.

          I stared at Caspian, who frowned in response. “What?”

          “What do you mean what?”

          “You’re glaring.”

          I blinked, and then looked away. “I was? Sorry.”

          Caspian tilted his head, as if genuinely interested. “You’re stressed out, aren’t you?”

          “Well yes. You should know.” I answered sharply.

          “Come on, stop being so uptight.” He buckled his knees so he was the same height as me, grinning slightly. I put my hands on my hips, wincing at the ache in my imprint, avoiding his gaze.

          “I’m not being uptight.”

          “Uh huh.” Caspian smirked, standing straight again. “Party-pooper.”

          I shot a glare of wonderment at him. “What are you, five?”

          Caspian pouted. “Seven, actually.”

          I rolled my eyes, and crossed my arms. “I have to train.”

          “Class is almost over, if you must know. Oh, and your partner is all the way across the room.”

          For a moment, I looked past him. I raised my eyebrow as I saw the girl from earlier leaning against a pillar, staring longingly at him. She noticed my gaze, and her blue eyes turned icy. I blinked, taking a step back.

          “What is it?”

          Looking back at Caspian, I answered calmly. “That girl is staring at you.”

Caspian looked at the girl, who quickly waved in excitement. He took a breath of mellow superiority. “Isabella? Well, why not? I’m sexy.”

          I gaped, and wacked him with my sword. “You’re an ass-hole with the largest ego, aren’t you?”

          I turned around to walk over to the others, but he grabbed my arm. Irritation rushed through me and I tore my arm away. “Come on, Mary. I still need to ask you that question.”

          “You already asked me a question.”

          “Yeah, but that wasn’t it.” Caspian scowled. “It was about your amulet-“

          “Everyone is asking me the same question, Caspian, and everyone is going to get the same answer.” I replied hastily. “I don’t know  yet.”

          “What’s this about an amulet?” The girl came up behind Caspian, her right hand tracing his arm.

“Nothing.” I replied curtly, staring her down. If she thought her icy gaze was intense, I’ve seen the exact same pair of eyes that I have on five other girls. I knew how intense mine could be.

“Mr. Nightstone, I have a few questions about today’s lesson…”

I cleared my throat, stifling a laugh at the ‘Mr. Nightstone.’

“Not now, Isabella. I’m busy. Perhaps tomorrow.” He smiled at her, but I could hear annoyance in his voice. I was starting to feel amused.

Isabella pouted, now angry. “It’s just some stupid necklace that she liked to wear.”

Liked? So she’s noticed me wearing it before. Interesting.

          Caspian glared at her. “You’re the only stupid thing here. Now go.”

          I raised my eyebrow as she gasped and stormed off, and I stifled a laugh. “The hell..?”

          Caspian shook his head. “Don’t ask.”

          “That was a little harsh for a student, don’t you think?”

          “Trust me; it’s for her own good.” Caspian assured me, taking off his mask.

          “How, considering you probably destroyed her self-esteem?” I asked.

          “She’s going into a war. If she keeps acting like that, she’s going to die just because her high heels get melted off in lava,” Caspian answered, chuckling. “And, of course, plastic melts when it’s next to something hot.”

          It took me a moment to understand his joke, and then I laughed myself speechless.

          “I know its mean, but the girl and her fake-ness has been clinging to me ever since she laid eyes on me. I had to get rid of her somehow.” Caspian replied defensively. “It’s bad for my health, too. It’s just too much.”

          “People must feel terrible for you, Mr. Nightstone.” I pouted, tilting my head in sarcastic sympathy.

          “You should clean the house to make me feel better.” He put his hands on my shoulders, giving me a stare.

           I smirked, pushing his hands off of me. “I don’t think so. I’m your roommate, not your maid.”

          “Hey, we are going to start heading back now.” Abby told us, followed by the others. “You know, we want to see our imprint and stuff…”

          “Yeah, totally.” I nodded, knowing that I hadn’t forgotten about the imprint at all. It was still gnawing at the back of my mind. At least the sunburnt feeling was starting to fade.

          “You can’t. Not yet, anyways.” Caspian informed them, which made them glare in protest. “I don’t want to know about your ‘imprints’ or whatever you’re talking about, but you have to wait until Austin and Wolf gets here.”

          Bell put her hands on her waist. “Says who?! I want to know what’s on my stomach.”

          Caspian looked at her strangely, and I knew he didn’t know about Wolf’s lesson. “Yeah, well, good for you. Wolf and Austin will be here shortly. They’re your own… Bodyguards, I suppose I can say. The Hunter is collecting everyone else that isn’t in this class.”

          “What about you?”

          “Oh, I’ll be walking home with you, considering that I live in the same building as you.” Caspian smirked.

          “And what part of that whole statement doesn’t just scream ‘creeper’?” Wolf announced sarcastically, walking in with Austin trailing behind him.

          “He’s my brother.” Abby scowled, bumping into Caspian. “I’m allowed to live with him.”

          Wolf ignored her, and listened to Austin for a moment. “Okay. Who’s ready? Everyone? Alright. Let’s go.”

          “Yes, lets!” Ellie exclaimed, pushing past us.

          We walked outside into the darkness, and began to walk our usual route home, except with Wolf and Austin leading us. Ellie, Abby, Caspian and I stayed near the back, where we discussed tomorrow’s plans.

          Soon enough, Caspian and I were getting left behind as we talked about my amulet. For some reason, all of my frustration and irritation for Caspian today seemed to melt when I talked to him. All of my anger and stress dissolved when he a made a joke that made me laugh. I was really starting to hate him for all of the wrong reasons.

          Somehow, all of a sudden, he became my secret holder, someone with whom I could share thoughts I could never voice... In exchange, he trusted me with his.

          “I lived in Marleybone with Abby and our parents for years. We lived near Regents Square, and my parents both worked in the Royal Museum. You see, Malistaire was beginning to show his face again, and my parents were… estranged. They seemed to look up to him.”

          I swallowed, watching him speak as we walked. He had never talked about himself like this before.

          “Abby was shipped off to Wizard City to go to this school…”

          “Ravenwood?”

          “Yeah, that. I guess you met her there, didn’t you? They wanted Abby to be some kind of archeologist, and I suppose they thought they should send her there.”

          “What did they want you to be?”

          “The man of the house. My father wanted me to work with him, which later led to working for Malistaire. I, of course, rejected it. I wanted none of it. I would have been forced to go, except my father figured something out about my mother, and he wanted nothing to do with me either.” Something in Caspian stiffened. “My mother still had a shred of humanity within her, however, and gave me money. Abby soon came back to Marleybone, and we had helped each other survive in the Palace.”

          “What did your father figure out about your mother?” I asked quietly.

          Caspian swallowed, and sighed. “I would think it as obvious. Abigail and I look nothing alike.”

          I stopped in my tracks, and I felt my mouth slacken as I gaped. “Oh, Caspian. I’m sorry.”

          “It’s not your fault my mother had an affair.” Caspian shrugged as we walked on.

          “How did he figure out?”

          Caspian frowned, and hesitated. “It’s… difficult. I’m not like him, I suppose I can say.”

          I sighed. “It’s alright. I don’t need to know.”

          Caspian looked at me, and grinned. “But the house I had lived in had the largest library I’d ever seen. It was magnificent. I used to sit in there for hours, reading.”

          I smiled weakly, remembering my little cottage in Unicorn Way. “That sounds amazing. I only had a few bookshelves of books.”

          Caspian cocked his head towards me, confused. “Were you poor?”

          “Very.” I laughed, even though it wasn’t funny. “I was that strange girl who lived in a cottage in a cute little village, with a tempered sister and a loving mother who barely went outside. I used to get groceries from the Shopping District by myself, and I knew every nook and cranny in that district. I knew my way behind the shops, and when I was young, I used to believe that I was the only one who knew about the hidden alleys and passageways. Of course, when I got older, I knew those people had been there for years.”

          “Sounds nice, actually.”

          “It was. It really was.” I spaced off, remembering my beautiful little village back in Wizard City. “I could still remember the smell of the stream in the park, the lovely scent of flowers and grass, and how beautiful everything looked when it snowed.”

          “What did it look like?”

          “The snow? Oh, positively incredible. Everything would be white, until the sunrise. The snow would be like a canvas, and the sky would paint it into so many beautiful shades of pinks and oranges, until the whole village is alight with color and beauty.” I took a deep breath with my eyes closed, imagining that I was standing outside my cottage door, my mother cooking breakfast inside while my sister still slept. I imagined Richard walking by, and giving me the newspaper. I imagined Abby with her pigtails and red highlights, a cherry lollipop in her mouth.

          “Mary?”

          I opened my eyes to Caspian’s voice, and I saw that I was still in Dragonspyre. There was no chill of the snow; instead, there was raging heat. The sky was dark and sorrowful, and Caspian stood next to me, his hand on my shoulder. “I’m here…” I replied weakly.

          Caspian nodded, and he continued forward. But I didn’t move. Instead, I began taking off my armor for the upper half of my body. “Caspian, can you do something for me?”

          “What?” Caspian turned around to see me, and he raised his eyebrow. “Don’t you want to take your armor off later? What if somebody attacks you?”

          “That’s what you’re here for, right?” I asked, slipping the armor onto the ground. “I just need you to look at something.”

          “Now?”

          “Yes, now. I had to wait two hours. The suspense is killing me.”

          “Are you saying you have something on you and you have no idea what it is?” Caspian looked at me strangely.

          “Yes. Kind of.” I turned around. “Can you lift up my shirt?”

          “Your what?” Caspian’s voice sounded alarmed.

          I tugged at the back of my shirt. “Did I stutter? I need you to tell me what is on my back.”

          “Is this what Bell was talking about?”

          “Yes, although I imagine they are in the manor at the moment, doing the exact same thing you need to do for me. Now tell me what is on my back.”

          Caspian slowly took a step forward and took the hem of the back of my shirt hesitantly. “I’m kind of frightened.”

          “Be a man.” I replied, holding on to the front of my shirt.

          “Alright…” His voice trailed off into silence as he lifted my shirt to see my bare back. He held the shirt up for a few moments.

          “Well?”

          He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t lower the shirt, either.

          “What’s wrong with you? Can’t you speak?”

          He dropped the hem of my shirt, and I turned around to see him. His face was shocked, and then confused. “Who did that to you?”

          I touched my back. “Did what?”

          “You have one of the largest tattoos I’ve ever seen. Who the hell gave it to you?”

          “I was in a class. It’s my soul’s imprint. What is the tattoo of?” I answered, picking up my armor.

          “Wings. Big, gigantic wings. I didn’t really get a good look at them, because its dark, but they’re definitely wings.” Caspian replied hastily.

          “Wings?” I looked at him, confused. “Did you see a horse..?”

          “A horse? No. You have wings.”

          “I wonder why I only have wings…” I pondered quietly, and then looked up at Caspian, wide-eyed. “Did you see any color? An outline, maybe?”

          “I don’t know? White, I guess.”

          I blinked. “White... No. You have to check again.”

          “I’m not looking at your back again! It freaks me out. Your ‘wings’ are outlined with some kind of whiteness. I don’t know what else to say, alright?” Caspian lifted up his hands in protest, and I sighed.

          “This can’t be. My soul can’t have chosen me as a Death elemental.” I groaned, falling to my knees.

          “Hey,” Caspian kneeled down next to me reassuringly, and I looked up to see an encouraging smile. “Nothing is wrong with Death.”

          “My father is Death. Tell me that’s not ironic.”

          “Okay, that’s not ironic.”

          I shook my head, irritated. “No!”

          Caspian gaped. “What?!”

          “It is ironic!”

          “Okay then!” Caspian replied cheerfully, helping me stand up. “Whatever being a ‘Death elemental’ means, I’m sure there is nothing wrong with it. After all, you’re nothing like your father.”

          “Thanks.” I murmur, finally seeing the manor in view. “To be fair, you’re nothing like your parents.”

          Caspian smiled slightly. “Thanks.”