Crowned - 16 | On A Mission (part one)

 

“We won’t blast a church!” Kairo snapped, ever the voice of reason.

Elvira agreed, nodding vehemently. “It would bring too much of unnecessary attention,” she established.

“Villainy is all about grand scale chaos, both of you are too afraid to agree,” Kaeo huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Let’s leave the plan making to Kairo, yeah? The one who has actual magic to clean up after you,” Elvira pointed.

“Said the leech,” Kaeo smiled at her, sarcasm pouring off his soft features.

“Okay, okay, halt it!” Kairo clapped his hands, “Even a literal wall cannot stop the two of you,” he gasped and clicked his fingers to make the wall disappear. “Wilhelma will provide us weapons for the mission. To avoid any mistakes and collateral damage, it will only be the three of us who will continue with this mission.” Kairo explained.

“Yes, take an illegal, non-magical citizen to the Church of mages to avoid mistakes and damage, of course, what a noble pursuit!” Elvira grinned sarcastically, “I’m loving it!”

“You cannot die,” Kaeo stated, looking her in the eye.

“Of course, if you value your life.” Elvira rolled her eyes.

“Now, then, what weapons do you desire! Cloaking spells are deceptive and won’t work in holy grounds so choose something that is efficient yet concealable!” Kairo declared.

“Do you have any options?” Elvira asked, at the same time as Kaeo said, “I’ll take the usual.”

“Options, yes!” Kairo flicked a hand over the floating hologram and the dragon’s projection disappeared into a million dots which reconnected to make an arsenal of weapons floating over the tabletop. “Here you go! I’d recommend a lasso with a blade, it is natural, magical and works long distance and short distance,” Kairo suggested.

Elvira gazed over a hundred weapons, more than eighty of which were unrecognisable to her. Was this how her mother summoned her weapons? Elvira wondered.

“Choose the poison blades and darts. You can throw them around and one stab would be enough to get out of a fight, considering you have the practical battle experience of a unicorn,” Kaeo grumbled.

“Well, it’s a good thing that we’re not going to battle,” Elvira scoffed, “I’ll take the lasso,” she said, just to spite Kaeo even though she personally liked his idea a lot.

“Using a lasso requires actual practice and good wrist movement,” Kaeo snapped, “Do you think these danglers,” he pointed at Elvira’s slender pale wrists, “Would be able to do anything?!”

Elvira gasped, her auburn eyes carrying offence, “Do you want me to slap you for demonstration?” she scowled.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves, we know you’re dying to touch me,” Kaeo snorted.

“Ah-ah-ah!” Kairo, once again, jumped between them before Elvira could attempt strangling Kaeo, “I genuinely suggest you go with the daggers, Elvi, they’re a wise choice!”

Elvira narrowed her eyes at Kaeo’s pouty smug smile and seethed through gritted teeth, “I accept it only because you said so,” she looked at Kairo, “You.”

“Of course, of course, no one would think otherwise,” Kaeo mocked.

“I’m going to –” Elvira couldn’t complete her sentence as Kairo grabbed her hand and teleported her away. The new room was a plethora of shining swords, studded scabbards, sharp knives and curved daggers decorated on walls and small shelves, all over the place. Kairo picked up a rust-coloured dagger from a shelf on the right along with a thigh band and a bunch of vials and darts.

“Here you go,” he handed the curved dagger to her, “Remember to unsheathe it before using it and DO NOT scratch the blade on YOUR skin or you will pass out!! But, even if you accidently do, here’s an antidote,” he pointed at a bubbling violet vial in his hand, “Keep it with you AT ALL TIMES!!”

Elvira nodded like a diligent student.

“And here are a few poison darts, there’s twelve you can fit in one band. Make sure to COLLECT THEM BACK AFTER SHOOTING THEM because we do not want to leave any traces, right?”

Kairo looked at her like her primary school teacher.

Elvira nodded, biting her lower lip.

“Are all of these weapons created by Wilhelma?” she asked.

“Yes, she’s an excellent example of an Alchemy Type. We found her on the outskirts of Willow two years ago; she’s been very loyal ever since.”

Elvira wondered why Kairo and Kaeo would take her on such an important mission and not someone as exceptional as Wilhelma. She had actual magic and actual use. Unlike the burden Elvira would create.

Elvira sighed as she pocketed the dagger, the antidote and the darts in her pant-pocket.

“When do we leave?” she asked.

Kairo noticed the sudden shift in Evira’s mood but did not acknowledge it. “Around two, there will a mass held at the Church to pray for Count Aramia’s land. The sudden fire and the rumour of the dead Count and Countess coming back to life has been unsettling the people. It’s very funny,” Kairo ran a hand over Elvira’s head, “You did as best as you could and I am proud of you for that.”

Elvira’s breath hitched.

You did as best as you could…

I am proud of you…

They were foreign words for Elvira’s ears.

She hadn’t expected to hear them in this lifetime.

After trying her best with her townsfolk, after working to her bone at Helif’s Estate, after coming to terms with her scars, Elvira was trying her best. Had always been. Yet, not a single soul had uttered the words of encouragement for her.

Though sudden, the words gashed past all her walls and left her raw and bleeding out tears in front Kairo. Her knees buckled but Kairo’s quick reflexes caught her by her waist and pulled her into his chest. Elvira cried into the silence, hoping the words would come from her parents instead.

Kairo wrapped his arms around her and caressed the back of her head, burying her sobs within his arms. He held on tight and perched his chin over her head, hoping to calm her tumultuous senses.

At the doorframe of the arsenal stood a scowling Kaeo with his hands crossed over his chest and a glint of glare in his amethyst eyes.

. . .

“Are you feeling better?” Kairo asked as they stood in front of the pristine white back walls of the Church Dianthia.

“Yes, I’m ready to cause chaos!” Elvira grinned, throwing a punch at the sky which involuntarily elicited a cracking sound from her elbow.

Kaeo grimaced, nostrils flared and eyes narrowed at Elvira’s bright smile directed towards Kairo.

“You should warm up,” Kairo laughed out loud as Elvira held her hands behind her back, growing red with embarrassment.

“I-I will, it’s just that Willow has such a pretty weather!”

Kairo had teleported them from the continent of Kalmia on the outer-world to the Continent of Willow in the Inner-World. Willow was known to have the biggest landmass with a pleasant weather and the most diverse population on Wreath. It was a place which accepted everyone, be it mages or creatures.

“Even the air feels free-er here,” Kairo sighed, inhaling a long breath.

“There is no such thing,” Kaeo grumbled. Brilliant blue magic circles appeared over his fingertips and underneath his shoes. “Watch and learn,” he said and proceeded to climb the towering walls with the agility of a sticky insect-creature.

“So, there are times when he is useful…” Elvira snorted a whisper.

Kairo nodded diligently, eyes shining with admiration for his brother.

Kaeo charted the walls while Kairo and Elvira kept watch underneath. As soon as he reached the top, he peeked inside and mapped the guards in attendance. There were five of them, stationed at equivalent distances, guarding the perimeter. Their silver metal armour clanked with every step they took, softened only by the crème holy robe they wore above it. Each of them had a golden sword in hand and their lips were constantly moving in recitation of some lost language.

Kaeo stuck his right palm on the wall and used his free hand to shuffle out a bunch of blades from his back-pocket.

“He was carrying sharp, unsheathed, blades in his pockets?! Just like that?!” Elvira gasped, properly scandalised.

“That’s Kaeo for you,” Kairo coughed out a laugh.

Over the wall, Kaeo placed one blade over the edge and grabbed the rest between his lips, undeterred by their sharpness. He picked up the remaining blade and positioned it with one eye closed and a magic circle enhancing the sight of his other open eye. Then, he threw the blade with just enough force for it to pierce through the air and stab onto a guard’s forehead.

Before the other guards could take a note, Kaeo dropped them in a line.

“All clear, come along,” he called to the ones behind.

“I’m afraid you will have to carry us,” Kairo whisper-called.

Kaeo nodded and jumped down, feet landing the ground as light as a feather.

It evoked a memory in Elvira’s mind. The first time she had met him. The sun shadowed his sapphire eyes but illuminated his dazzling smile. He was upside down, yet ecstatic to catch her gaze.

Suddenly, her eyes caught his gaze again. After all those years, he wasn’t ecstatic to meet her anymore. His amethyst eyes were cold and he wished she were dead, like everyone else.

Elvira instantly evaded his eyes.

“I’ll take you first,” Kaeo pointed at Kairo. The blonde nodded and jumped over his brother’s back, giddy to get a free ride.

“Woo-hoo! Let’s go!” he grinned as Kaeo flung at the wall and climbed it with a natural fervour.

Elvira couldn’t believe she would have to be dependent on Kaeo again.

Crowned 3 - meeting the villains.

 

CHAPTER 3

Elvira, covered in mud, Linch dung and blood, ran across the forest floor like a fly trying to escape a spiderweb. More than a dozen Linchs used more than a million of their legs to chase her, wreaking havoc on the forest floor.

The ground trembled beneath her feet. The trees shook, the berries fell, some Linchs sprouted wings and began buzzing behind her.

“This is an evolutionary crimeeeeeee!!!” Elvira cried as she propelled herself forward with no regard for safety or a sense of direction in tow. Panic surged within her being; her feet felt like molten sticks detached from her body but supportive nonetheless.

All she did was run towards the blue in the sky, hoping it would lead her to the edge.

And to her surprise, it did. Lead her. To the edge of a CLIFF.

Even if she were to jump, the ones with the wings would catch her. Still, she couldn’t die being Linch food—just because she had no magic to her fate did not mean that she would die such a horrible death! Being drained out of her blood, no less. No.

Elvira shivered as she sped forward. The edge of the cliff was in sight. And so was the rocky terrain, not too distant, of another cliff. It was Amoris’ land and she would be illegally crossing borders if she jumped.

“I will deal with jail if I live to tell the tale!” Elvira coaxed herself.

The creatures were catching up. Her hands and feet got clammy, nonetheless, she tightened her grip around the wood and paper. One jump and she could live to see another day. One jump and maybe she could see Zinna again. This couldn’t be how she would end. So, Elvira took a leap of faith – quite literally.

Though, just as she flung up in the air, her breath hitched as two shooting stars zoomed past her side – one blue and the other green. Were they people? Mages?

Elvira couldn’t spare a thought as she lunged at the rocky cliff and grabbed a hold of its edge before she could fall to her death. Small rocks fell from where her hand had grabbed the coarse stones. She heard the rocks knock against cold hard ground and shatter.

Elvira gulped.

She did not have the gall to look down.

Her left hand was already hurting. She couldn’t propel herself upwards without using both hands.

But she could only hold on for so long.

The flying Linchs should have gotten her by now…what happened?

Reluctantly, Elvira turned her head.

Elvira gasped as what her peripherals witnessed amazed her senses beyond belief.

The shooting stars hadn’t been an illusion of near death and extreme dehydration — no, they had been actual people! Two mages, sweeping and slashing the Linchs like they were big bags of hay tied together. In mere seconds, the army of Linchs following her had been wiped out. The duo stood in mauve remains as wind fluttered past their blue and green robes.

“Did you get them all?” one of them asked as he superficially dusted his blue clothes.

“Uh-hm, there should have been twenty but I only have nineteen samples.” The other replied as he looked up and turned to spot Elvira hanging off the Amoris cliff. “Ah, there’s our twentieth.” He stated.

“A little help…please?” Elvira called out.

“Why not?” the mage in blue grinned. He tipped himself off the edge of Linch Cliff and floated over the gap, upside down, like a feather. His dark hair caught the sun and shadowed his sapphire blue eyes, which stared directly in Elvira’s dull auburn gaze. There was no magic circle around him, neither did his full rosy limps seem to be chanting a spell.  With practiced elegance, he landed on the Amoris Cliff.

“Woahhh…” Elvira gasped, “Enhancer Type?”

“Induced, Class Double S!” he replied, thick dark brows raised and mouth in a grin.

“No way! That’s so cool! I have only ever met a S before! My father is Enhancer Type, Induced, Class S.”

“Wha!” the blue mage gasped, “Where does he induce it?”

“Strength, mostly,” Elvira grinned.

“Cannot say the same about you.” The other mage whispered right behind Elvira’s ear.

“ARAHHA!”

Caught off-guard, Elvira let go of the cliff and fell. She yelped, expecting to fall into the abyss and be impaled by dry, hard, rocks. But she was quite surprised when her feet touched a solid ground. Gasping, Elvira looked down as found herself standing on a brilliant green magic circle, pressed against its owner. She turned to glare at him.

“That was vile!” Elvira snapped.

“Look brother, she complimented us!” he laughed, blonde hair catching the sun in an iridescent halo.

“Ha-ha! You’re so funny,” the blue mage grinned, eyes brightened by the comedy of Elvira’s life and death.

Elvira sucked in a harsh breath, processing his jade eyes and amusing gaze piercing through her skull.

“If you’re done resting on me, may we get the Linch blood off you?” the green mage asked. He had a thin mouth and a triangular face with sharper features, in comparison of his brother’s more rounded features.

Elvira blinked and jolted out of his personal space. “What? Blood? Yes-yes, yes please!” she replied, partially flustered and partially grateful.

The mage nodded and with a snap of his fingers a green magic circle appeared over Elvira’s head. She was captivated by the purity in its colour and the clarity of the symbols revolving around the circle. It gently passed over her body, elevating her of all the mud, dirt, moss, Linch dung and blood. As the circle reached the bottom of her feet, it disappeared and a mauve vial appeared in the mage’s hand.

“Conjuror Type?”

“Spells, Class S. Kairo.”

“Kairo?” Elvira blinked as the magic circle levitated underneath her.

“That’s my name.”

“And I’m Kaeo!” the blue mage grinned as he helped Elvira off the magic circle and grimaced at the sight of her gashed hand. He looked up at Kairo and the green mage nodded.

“I’m Elvira!” she introduced with a smile on her face before jumping off the circle and landing on Amoris’ territory.

Kaeo smiled back while Kairo took a hold of Elvira’s left hand and placed a magic circle over it.

“Why were you banished?” Kairo asked as the open gashes on her hand began closing up.

“Huh? Banished?” Elvira turned to face him.

“You have the mark on your neck. You didn’t know?” Kaeo asked, pointing at his neck.

“Oh…I didn’t know they marked me…”

“It’s seal,” Kairo observed, eyes narrowed at the brown brandishing engulfing her slender neck, “Created by some Soirse. You know them?”

Instinctively, Elvira detached her hand from Kairo’s magic circle and placed it over her neck. She felt a pang in her chest which she exhaled momentarily. To think her family would go through such lengths to get rid of her…Elvira took a step back and curled in her shoulders. Her eyes evaded theirs and she chose to stare at the dry, barren ground. Had she been wrong about the forest—did they jump continents and Land in Kalmia?

“It’s okay, Kai can hide it for you and we can go eat something good!” Kaeo exclaimed as he took a step towards her and patted her back.

Elvira looked up to face him. He had a kind smile which birthed dimples beside his pouty lips.

They would abandon her once they get to know why she was banished. Elvira decided to get done with it, sooner rather than later.

She huffed, mouth easing into a smile as she explained, “heh…actually, I was shunned for not having an ability. I’m cursed, apparently…so, I don’t think you people should be hanging around with me…” she grinned sheepishly.

She took another step back; hand still placed over the seal. “Bu-t, thank you for helping me, I’ll be fine, so before something bad happens to you, please leave,” she said.

Kairo scoffed. Kaeo snorted. Then, together, they burst into a howling laughter.

“C-cursed? Being cursed for not having an ability! Have you heard of this before, brother?”

“Nu-uh, never ever.”

“Oddity? Yes, but calling it Cursed is insanity!”

“Have you never been out of your town?”

Elvira looked at them, eyes narrowed with strange confusion.

“Just because a group of people reject you doesn’t mean you’re cursed. It just means that you haven’t found your right ones,” Kaeo shrugged and held out a hand for her to take, “Do you want to be with us instead?”

Crowned 1 - The Awakening.

CHAPTER 1

 

“Elvira, you look beautiful today!”

“Thanks, Auntie Helena, you do too!”

“Oh! it’s wonderful to see you, Elvira! Happy birthday!”

“Thank you, Uncle George!”

“Elvira! Thank you for accompanying Orion yesterday. He’s a bit sick now but he has never gotten full marks on his homework before!”

“Thanks Aunt Lily, Orion is a lovely child to teach!”

“Elvira! Big day today, are you excited?”

She raised her brows, mouth widened with a grin as she nodded, “I’m stoked!” she exclaimed, striking a fist-bump to the sky.

“Ah-ha-ha-ha, to be young and spirited…” the woman chuckled as she turned round the corner with a basket of dirty laundry levitating behind her.

Elvira turned to face her friend, her exaggerated smile immediately drooping into frown. “I AM ABSOLUTLEY TERRIFIED!” she shouted in a whisper, every muscle in her face twitched and squirmed with the fear of expectations burdened on her head.

“Reeelaaax,” Zinna sang as she caressed a hand over Elvira’s back, “You’ll be fine.”

“You don’t understand Zinnie!” Elvira exclaimed, cartoonishly glaring at her pale hands, “I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING IN ME,” she groaned like a Gremlin with a case of hoarse throat, "ABSOLUTELY NOTHING."

“You worry so much,” Zinna waved a hand in Elvira’s passionately disgruntled face, “You were born under the Mirai Star, don’t you remember Old Lirin’s reading? You’re destined for greatness.”

Elvira threw her head back to stare at the darkened cloudy sky. “Well,” Elvira said, “Did you forget that it is a Shadow Star, Zinnie, A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD!? I can either be a great Saint with no monetary income or a great disappointment!! Nothing in between!” she wailed in exasperation.

“Imagine you end up being a great saint, like Saintess Iris.”

Elvira scoffed. "Or, realistically, I end up falling into darkness like you-know-who," she said while rolling her eyes at Zinna's idealistic temperament.

They were standing in a field of flowers, surrounded by the source of the fragrance manufacturing hotspot of the world. Yet, the blooming flowers provided no sense of comfort to Elvira’s impassioned soul.

“You’re the Chief’s daughter, Elvi, everyone loves you. You’ll be fine nonetheless. Also, it is hard to sense the energy flow before the awakening. Once you consume the Stryn metal infused Lake Virae water thing, it’ll strengthen your affinity for you to harness your ability,” Zinna explained as she walked by Elvira’s side.

The river by the fields rushed with serenity, leisurely making its way to the Ocean Heart. Though the sky was cloudy, the water still dared to sparkle underneath it.

“I wish it were true…” Elvira mumbled, biting her lower lip. The frown on her forehead was so embedded, Zinna was afraid it would make a mark a on her skeleton.

“Come here,” Zinna mumbled.

As Elvira leaned in, Zinna flicked her forehead. Her fingertip sparkled with a green light and a rush of calmness engulfed Elvira’s being. Soft gusts of wind momentarily caressed the flowers before fleeting away. The fragrance followed it.

“Ahhh—goosebumps,” Elvira moaned, shivering as the rush passed through her body, “Hehe, I like this~” She giggled.

“Of course you do,” Zinna murmured, looking around, “What ability do you wish you’d get?”

“Hehe, I dunnooo~ maybe, maybe a Conjuror like my mother! It’s so fun when she pulls out weapons from nowhere! Tehehe, Enhancer Type is good too, my papa and you, you’re both good—but I dunnoo, I don’t feel it in my bones…”

Zinna caressed a wilting flower before plucking it out.

“You’re making a flower crown for me?” Elvira giggled, her pale mouth widened in a grin.

“Mhm, have to celebrate my saintess.”

“With wilting flowers?”

“Your magic will make them bloom.”

“Of course~!” Elvira grinned, spreading out her arms to let the wind embrace her.

“You know—”

“Pretty lady! Pretty lady Soirse! Knight Rima is looking for you, come quick!” A kid ran into the fields, shouting on top of his lungs.

Elvira turned to face the child but he was properly disguised by the lush growth of flowers in between. All she could spot were his shiny red shoes.

“Alright, thank you Tomas!” Elvira shouted back.

“Gimme candy when you’re done! Byebye!” Tomas shouted, waving his hand. Unbeknownst to him, his goodbye couldn’t be seen.

Elvira’s stomach churned as she muttered, “I must go, mother awaits.”

“I’ll see you tonight,” Zinna smiled and ruffled Elvira’s mopey brown hair.

“See you!”

Elvira rushed out of the fields, across the bridge, past the sparkling river and into the town she grew up in. The old, bricked, yet fragrant town of Floria.

“Elvira, don’t rush baby!”

“I’m not a baby anymore, don’t worry Auntie Molly!”

“Elvira did you have breakfast?”

“Yes, thanks for asking Uncle Ben!”

Her flat shoes and agile build stealthily meandered her way through the crowded cobbled streets, yet, her silhouette was clearly recognisable to familiar gazes.

“Elvira, going home? Skip Hiori Lane, Penny’s spell went wrong and now her clothes are dancing all over the street!”

“Thanks Aunt Lily, poor Penny must be traumatised.”

“She’ll live; her mother is just too much.”

Elvira nodded before running past her and Hiroi Lane.

This was the town Elvira Soirse had grown up in. The streets were her home and each resident was a relative in name. Behind her parents’ busy backs were the walls she grew up in and the white picket fence which she would jump over to get out because the gate was too tall for her to open.

She was five when she first wandered out, Elvira remembered as she ran past Aunt Helena’s home. Her hair was an uncombed mess and tears were threatening to fall off her eyes owing to the severe groaning noises her stomach made.

Aunt Helena had seen her on the street and lured Elvira into following her. Helena was a relative of the Royal Chef of Lunaria and her culinary skills were well renowned around town. It was one of the many days when she hosted community dinners and everyone got together to get a taste of perfection.

It was a humid night when Helena held a dried fish in front of a distraught child and led her into her house. There, Elvira met the other ladies of the town along with baby Zinna whose mouth was covered in a creamy red sauce. Elvira was hungry enough to wipe the sauce off the first kind face she saw and licked her fingers. Zinna did not mind the strange greeting. They shared a smile and rest was history.

The townsfolk did not detest or blame Chief Kiof and Grand Knight Rima for their neglectful upbringing. Every morning the couple would leave for work and Elvira would sneak out to play around the neighbourhood.

It was a rainy Solday when Uncle George asked Elvira to pet-sit for him in exchange for evening snacks. The idea had stuck with Elvira throughout years to come; as she would pet-sit and eventually baby-sit for her neighbours to repay her debts to them.

Elvira loved her people but she also wanted to earn every bite she got.

Though she had learnt how to cook when she was fifteen, Elvira continued her neighbourly duties.

As long as she was outside of her house.

“Elvira Soirse! Where have you been all morning? Don’t you know that I took a day off for you? It is such a big day and look--!” Rima pointed at the dirty hem of Elvira’s skirt, as soon as she entered through the door, “You’ve been over the bridge?!”

“I was taking a walk with Zinnie,” Elvira replied sheepishly.

“A walk?! It is no time for a walk! Have you prayed today? I don’t understand what you spend all your days doing instead of training! Now that it’s your Awakening day, be a little concerned for yourself, will you?! You cannot let us down, you know it!”

“I do, I know, I won’t,” Elvira mumbled as she stepped inside the house and closed the door behind her.

“Let’s get you praying,” Rima declared. Out of nowhere, a glistening lasso appeared and wrapped itself around Elvira’s torso. Rima flicked the other end towards the prayer room and Elvira couldn’t help but act upon the weapon’s whims.

She was shoved into an empty room with white walls and Rima pushed her in the very center of it.

“Concentrate, can you see the stars? Pray upon the one which shines the brightest in your vision. That’s your birth star; it will bless you and guide you forever.”

Despite being one of the strongest Knights of the Empire, Rima was a short and muscular lady, seemingly in her early thirties, with a rare daintiness to her face. The duality of her physicality worked in her favour on the field.

But around her daughter…not so much.

Elvira stared at the blank walls, clenching her jaw. She could see nothing, as always.

“Do you see it?” Rima asked again; there was a desperation in her tone.

Elvira turned to look at her mother’s earnest gaze and bit her lower lip.

“I—I can see it but it’s all a bit hazy…” Elvira lied, mumbling.

“That’s good! That’s good! Now pray for being an Alchemist Type it is the best! Strongest, most resourceful—"

"—absolutely hard to master," Elvira added.

"—most respected—" Rima continued.

"—of course that's what you like," Elvira mumbled as she closed her eyes.

"We are the Chief family of Floria, we need to set an example for the townsfolk!" Rima exclaimed as she patted Elvira's back, "Straighten it more, concentrate your magic in your hands, you can pray to be an Elemental. Elemental would be easier for you to master, pray for it. The stars always listen to a desperate heart.”

A desperate heart…

Do the stars ever listen?

Elvira gulped as she stared at her reflection in the water bowl placed in front of her.

Her desperate heart and incapable sight had spent the whole day begging into the emptiness, “I wish I have an ability. I wish I have an ability. I wish I have an ability.”

Anything.

Yet, as the evening hues dawned over her crown and each neighbour walked up to her with a lantern in hand, sharing their best wishes, Elvira felt familiar dread crawling up her stomach.

She felt no different than yesterday or the day before. Or ever.

An old woman walked to the center of the field.

“As you must already know, we’ll cut your ring finger on the left hand to draw blood closest to your heart. The droplet will be poured in this Stryn Vessel, in alignment with your birth star; The vessel has water from Lake Virae so the blood does not dissolve. Then, a mage from each type – Enhancer, Conjuror, Alchemist and Elemental – will pour their drops of blood. After I recite the spell, the Ability Type your blood is attracted to and merges with will declare your Awakening.” Grandma Jiani explained, hovering a hand over the golden vessel.

Awakening ceremonies were usually lowkey.

But Elvira was a Soirse, so, the whole town was in attendance to celebrate the succession. Unlike for most, Elvira’s Stryn Vessel was lit up with reflected lights from the town’s lanterns shining like artificial guiding stars in her favour.

Yet, each starlight seemed to be piercing Elvira’s vision.

Her hands were sweaty.

Her eyes searched for Zinna’s face. Though her white dress had a flower pinned from each member of the town, Elvira wished for Zinna’s wilting coronet to support her head.

Or maybe it was her Calming Ability that Elvira longed for.

Something, anything to escape the prying eyes which had never felt a burden before.

“Do you understand, girl?” Grandma Jiani urged.

“Of course she does!” Rima exclaimed, patting Elvira’s back.

“Yes, she does,” Kiof stated as he wrapped an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

Elvira turned at the sound of her father’s voice. “Papa,” she said, a pleading look etched in her furrowed brows and quivering eyes.

“Daughter,” Kiof acknowledged with a nod.

“The stars are aligning, we should begin…”

The soft gusts strengthened into a rush of wind swirling over the Stryn Vessel. Thunder rumbled through the sky, eliciting an additional electrifying hue into the reflection.

The stray woodsticks crackled underneath Elvira’s feet.

“Give me your hand.”

Elvira raised a clammy hand over the golden vessel. It was etched in the center of open town grounds, atop an intricately carved marble pillar. She stood on one end of the ovular vessel and hunching Grandma Jiani stood on the opposite. Behind Elvira were her parents, standing hauntingly close.

Wind rustled through the trees like a lost lover, caressing every leaf.

Behind Grandma Jiani stood Vice Chief Herbert, an Alchemy Type Mage and his son Danzel, an Elemental Type Mage.

At a distance, the rest of town circled them to witness the ceremony.

“O’ Stars divine,” Jiani chanted as she traced a finger over Elvira’s palm.

Storm clouds responded and winds howled against her favour.

“O’ STARS DIVINE, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE!” Jiani chanted with more power. Yet, the clouds only thickened.

Whispers birthed amongst the crowd. Rima and Kiof shared worried glances before looking up at the sky.

“O’ STARS DIVINE, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE,

GUIDE THE LOST THROUGH DESTINY’S LINE,

WHISPHER TRUTHS THE DARK MAY HIDE,

LET YOUR BLESSING BE BY THEIR SIDE.

CALM THE WINDS AND STILL THE SEA,

SHOW THEM WHAT THEY’RE MEANT TO BE.

WITH VIRAE’S PYRE, THEIR HEARTS ALIGN,

O’ STARS DIVINE, LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE.”

Jiana ran a crystal blade over the tip of Elvira’s ring finger.

She squirmed yet stood firm, eyes earnestly hoping for a miracle.

“Guides, please do your part.”

A cold chill ran down Elvira’s spine as the four volunteers poured a droplet of blood each.

“I cannot call upon your star due to this weather… Danzel, clear up the clouds for me.” Jiani ordered.

“Yes, grandma.”

Danzel raised a hand toward the sky and a bright sliver bolt of light shot from a magic circle over his palm. The clouds resisted the forceful retreat but did nothing but grumble in protest. Distant pitter-patter of rain twitched Elvira’s ears.

Suddenly, the moons and the stars were in clear view.

Jiani placed a hand over the Stryn Vessel and other over the Mirai Star in the sky. Her lips chanted a spell in a lost language.

An iridescent thread appeared in between her hands, fragile yet dazzling against the darkness around it. All the lanterns had flown away with the winds, so, the iridescent thread glowed like a light of hope in Elvira’s face.

Gently, Jiani lowered her hand from the sky and connected the thread to Elvira’s blood.

“The Awakening will begin now.”

Elvira, Rima, Kiof, Herbert, Danzel, Jiani, Zinna, Helena, Orion, Penny, Lily, George, Tomas, Ben, Molly – they all tip-toed, trying to sneak a peek into the vessel.

“What is it, Oldmother?” Rima asked after a moment’s worth of waiting.

“Yes, which one is it?” someone from the crowd shouted.

“Do you feel anything, daughter?” Kiof questioned.

Elvira dared not turn.

She merely gulped, staring into the Stryn Vessel and then at Jiani’s widened eyes.

“It’s…it’s never happened before…the blood…it’s not reacting…it’s not choosing…?” Jiani whispered.

“W-w-what do you mean the blood is not choosing?!”

“It’s…the Stars…this child is not blessed by the stars.”

The age-old face of Jiani looked up at Elvira and her eyes hardened.

Gasps and whispers surrounded them.

“What do you mean she isn’t blessed? It’s a—it must be a misunderstanding! It is our daughter! There is no way--!” Rima exclaimed, eye blown wide as she slid to Elvira’s side.

“Momma…” Elvira whispered as she looked at her mother’s cold face. Never had she ever seen fear in the Grand Knight’s gaze, yet, tonight, she stood before her daughter with wandering eyes and an open mouth.

“No, this is wrong, this must be a mistake. This cannot happen,” Rima whispered. Her fingers twirled into a golden light and a dagger appeared in her hand. She passed one fleeting look at Elvira’s horrified face before slashing her hand.

“Ah—Ma—Mother! It hurts! Stop, Mo—”

“No, it cannot be! You cannot be a curse! You are my daughter!” Rima snapped, slashing and squeezing Elvira’s hand to pour more blood into the vessel.

Yet, the iridescent thread gathered all of Elvira’s blood in one singular circle – away from the rest of the blood droplets.

“Knight Soirse, stop it!” Jiani scolded.

“Let go of me—!” Elvira cried.

“No —”

“Rima!” Kiof shouted. “Come back to me,” he whispered and held out a hand.

The woman looked at her husband, face distraught and tear stricken. Blood dripped off her hand as she placed it over her husband’s.

The clouds returned. Thunder gauged everyone’s grim faces.

Kiof avoided his daughter’s desperate gaze.

“She is a cursed one!” Herbert shouted, his eyes twinkling with opportunity.

“Elvira Soirse is not blessed by the stars!” Danzel shouted, following his father.

Elvira turned to convey the betrayal in her eyes.

“Ah cursed child! Unblessed! She will bring calamity onto us!”

“We will be destroyed for harbouring evil!”

“Cursed…is that why Orion fell sick after spending time with her? She, she is already harming my grandson’s lifeforce!” Helena shouted.

“No…is that why my brother passed last season?”

“Unblessed do not belong here!”

“Leave us—we beg you, Elvira…we don’t want to suffer the wrath of the Stars!” Molly shouted.

“Useless! Go die! Don’t bring doom upon us!” George shouted.

More words followed but Elvira’s mind wasn’t present enough to process them.

Rain began to pour, a simple droplet at a time, striking against her skin.

Her eyes finally found Zinna’s. She looked worried. It flickered hope in Elvira’s heart.

“Leave. Leave and never return.”

The hope was crushed as soon as her father’s words rang through her ears. She turned and her knees buckled. Elvira fell to the ground and the rain worsened its thrashing. Winds howled at the spectacle as the girl begged.

“Papa! I’m sorry! I’ll do better, I’m sorry, please don’t make me leave! I know—I don’t know anyone beyond this town, papa, please, forgive me. I—I will live silently, I will never go out—you can hit me, beat me up but, but, don’t make me leave—”

“Yah! You curse, don’t you understand that no one wants you here anymore? What, did you think that everything will go back to the way it was in a week or two? That they’ll begin throwing you leftovers again?” Herbert mocked.

“Leave while you still have dignity or the town will tear you apart.”

Elvira looked up and indeed, the once familiar warm gazes were now cold and evasive. Just because she did not have a stupid ability…everyone closed their hearts on her. Feet shuffled, footsteps—Elvira saw the retreating feet of her mother.

She lunged at them.

“Ma—”

Someone dragged her by her feet. Away from her mother and across the rough ground.

“You! Get out now!” Danzel spat.

The crowd began dissipating.

Desperate, Elvira’s gaze struggled to find a flicker of kindness.

Sadly, the night had eaten them all up.

A green flicker. Elvira saw Zinna’s lips mouth, ‘This is all I can do for you.’ She flicked the light towards her.

And Elvira passed out. 

   

The You in Me: 6 - Trust.

 

CHAPTER 5

In her dream, the world was simpler. She was a teenager living at the periphery like all humans, trying to make ends meet, trying to find value in life. She was plain yet dreamed of fame every night she went to bed. Though, when the morning sun would dawn on her window the dream would dissipate and she would come to a realisation, “I am good for nothing.”

The sun was bright and its rays were scorching, burning holes through the tree leaves guarding her window pane. Cicadas were set to world domination with the sheer collective force of their chorusing. The rays were getting hotter by the second when she sat up in her bed and held her face in her hands, unable to face herself. Then, the might of a singular sunbeam melted the window glass only to penetrate inside and light her house on fire.

Flames engulfed her.

She was outside, suddenly, running and screaming for her parents.

“Ma! Papa! Where are you?”

Her vision was red and her senses hot, tall skyscrapers crumbled to dust before her. She climbed the debris, desperate in her efforts to dig into it and find something…or was it someone? In her subconscious, she knew the rest of the neighbourhood would be safe. Still, her hands clawed into the broken glass, sharp iron beams and chalky cement – where were her parents? They were nowhere to be found. She screamed and screamed her mother’s name as the flames took down her town and memories. They drew closer with every breath she took, lusting for the oxygen within her. The fire was there to burn her, but somehow, it wasn’t touching her.

“What is the cost of one kind deed?”

The sentence echoed in her head, over and over. Suddenly, there was a mirror in front of her and she couldn’t avoid facing herself this time. Seraphina Dysis. The skin was melting off her face and body, leaving a bony skeleton and piercing grey eyes bleeding in the consequence of kindness.

“If you continue like this, it’ll only bring your ruination.”

It was her mother’s voice this time, echoing through the fire. Suddenly, the flames were smoke and the smoke clustered in the sky as clouds and a new day dawned.

An electric current shot through her body and Seraphina was jolted awake.

“Ah, Dread Dysis,” the matron called, flipped through the many pages on her notepad, and scratched her name off. “You will find your items inside your drawer. The classes commence in ten so I’d recommend you make haste.” The old lady, tall and skeletal, white as bone itself, passed a smile to Seraphina and walked away to zap the student on the next bed.

The ravenette, still in the midst of deciphering dream from reality couldn’t help but gasp at the heavenly white aesthetic of the infirmary. “Am I dead?” she whispered to herself as she scrutinized her arms and legs for burn scars. She found none. She flipped her head to the bedside table and shoved her face in the mirror. It reflected a perfect glass skin, sharp scarlet eyes and shiny raven hair. Seraphina pinched her cheeks and ruffled her hair to confirm reality from illusion again.

“You’re not gone yet? You could miss your chance if someone steals your seat, Dread Dysis,” the bony matron commented, voice nasally and crisp.

Ah, yes, the Choosing Ceremony. She was going to hug Ahren…only to be tasered in the back?

Et tu, Ahren?

Seraphina shook her head in exasperation. Her trust, yet again, was too easily earned with simple acts of kindness. Maybe this was what her dream was alluding to.

She pulled the bedside drawer open and found a glossy black bag inside. Its handles were intricately carved as golden vines spreading into the bag’s fabric on the front. Her jaw dropped in awe as she carefully picked up the bag and placed it on the bed, handling it with only her index fingers and thumbs to avoid leaving any dirty fingerprints of her hands.

Seraphina searched high and low to find a zip or a buckle on the bag but to no avail. Instead, she just sat straight for a good minute and stared at its glossy finish, then realising that time was running out, she cradled the bag in her arms like a million-dollar child and jumped off the bed. She had seven minutes to navigate her way to the first class – whatever it may be, she wondered as she shoved her feet in her shoes, careful not to crush the heels.

There must be someone around, Seraphina thought, who could help her.

The ravenette circled the bed and pulled away the white curtains separating her from the person beside. The fluid motion of her hand led to reveal a face likely to help her with her demise instead. Soft dark hair ruffled out of their style and piercing golden eyes narrowed at her with obvious grudge, greeted her sight. Instantly, Seraphina pulled the curtain back in its place.

“You saw nothing,” she said and fled out of her curtain containment. She may not know where to go, but she did know not to interact with a true Astherian without magic constraints around him. No matter how appealing even as a dread.

Just as Seraphina was about to step out of the infirmary, a hand grabbed her by the shoulder and twisted her to face its owner. The said owner had the curtsey to lower his neck from the clouds to meet her eyes; pinned against the infirmary wall, caged in between Kaizer’s arms, the ravenette gulped.

“That would be impossible, I see everything. I have six eyes,” Kaizer deadpanned. On cue, the tiny iridescent crystals embedded above his brows blinked open and golden irises meandered in the small space they were provided with.

“That’s…” Seraphina sucked in a breath, “truly creepy,” she breathed out and bent under his arm to walk out of his armed-cage. Only for him to push his palm against her forehead and bring her back in, against the wall.

“I can see things before they happen,” he stated, pointing at his eyes, looking dead on the inside.

“Well then, can your eyes see how late we will be if we don’t get going right this instant?!” Seraphina exhaled, frowning at his dead-faced persistence.

“But I cannot see why I don’t want to kill you…” his words dragged to a whisper.

Seraphina raised her brows in exasperation, “Why thank you? For being a decent hero?!”

“It goes against my basic principles…” he leaned in, close enough for their noses to be inches apart.

“I t-think the professor c-can refresh that when he’s, uh, dishing out our punishment!” Seraphina pressed a hand against his chest and pushed him away.

Kaizer sucked in a sharp breath and took several steps away from her; his brows joined together in a frown, as if repulsed. Though, his words seemed to betray his actions as he whispered, “Our sounds nice.”

Blood rushed to Seraphina’s face as she kicked the infirmary door open and stormed into the hallway. “What the heck is his deal?! If he doesn’t want to kill me, he’ll jump me instead?! Can’t he just stay away?!” she fanned her face with both her hands, consequently her bag fell to the marbled floor. “Dammit!” she cursed and bent down to pick it up, instinctively, by its golden handle.

The bag clicked open upon her touch.

“Ah, you figured it out,” a dead gasp birthed itself above her ear, warm breath fanned her nape. Seraphina felt an overwhelming presence shadow over her, so close to her back that she could feel the warmth trapped in between their bodies.

“What is wrong with you?! Are you following me?” Seraphina snapped and jumped several steps away from Kaizer, lest she’d do something unreasonable as lean into the warmth. Oh, the horror!

“Being choked by a microphone wire does things to you,” he shrugged, nonchalant.

Though, before Seraphina could fathom a response, a string of violin notes resonated through the wooden walls, slowly but aggressively building up into a crescendo.

“That’d be the warning music,” Kaizer pointed his finger at the sky-high ceilings vibrating the music through the ancient castle.

“You folks surely have a thing for dramatics,” Seraphina rolled her eyes and pulled out a map from the bag. The sheer thickness of its folds indicated her probable failure, so, taking a hint, she tucked it back inside her bag and faced Kaizer.

His lower lip curved into the tiniest of smiles as he held out a hand for her to take. The music was building up faster, every note louder than the last. Hesitantly, Seraphina placed her hand over his, avoiding eye contact.

“I meant the bag; it’d have your teleportation device…but this is okay as well,” Kaizer winked. Flustered, Seraphina was about to snatch her hand away when his slender fingers held onto her hand, encasing it.

The last memory Seraphina held of someone holding her hand with such firmness was her with mother, when Seraphina was a toddler in human kindergarten and was being bullied for crying too much. She missed her home, her dolls, her story books and her puzzle pieces that she had to leave behind in order to attend school – a place feted with snobbish kids who never asked her to play with. The loneliness led to tears, the tears were an excuse for the mockeries and the bullies – a symbol of weakness which she wielding everyday until her mother would come to pick her up, at the end of the day. She’d hold her hand with firmness and reaffirmation; and she wouldn’t let go until they were home.

There was a warm attachment Seraphina associated with handholding and to share such a moment with an Astherian who should hate her mere existence was appalling.

“Let’s go,” he whispered.

Seraphina did not know where, but she followed anyway. It’s almost as if she was compelled to. One step turned into golden leap and suddenly the hallways around them phased away and she found herself at the foot of what seemed like an empty battle ground. Surprised, Seraphina turned to look for Kaizer only to find him no one behind her.

So much for trusting a person again.