A bright light blares in front of me. It looked so familiar, yet, I had no idea what it was or what it came from. Whispers gradually get louder as I approach it, and the light phases through my chest. A warm feeling overtakes my body, with a then-following chill down my spine. What just happened? I ask that as I spring up from my bed, a sudden gasp escaping my mouth.
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I first look at the window. The sun's deep dawn rays made it's way to my carpet and brightened up my whole room. I stretch, yawn, and make my way to my personal bathroom.
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I grab my brush and quickly brush my hair straight, adorned my favorite hairstyle, and put on my clothes for the day. Just as I was just about to walk out to the cafeteria for breakfast, someone bumps into me.
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"There you are.." Arelin says, taking out a notebook and writing something down. "I just have to write down your room number so I don't forget. I want to make sure I have help in any way I can."
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That's when Alena clicked back to the front of my mind. "Anything new on your sister?" I began to walk.
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"Increased aggression, still refusing to eat, and sensitivity to light." he says in a huff.
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"Wait... she's not eating?"
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"I don't know why, but she refuses any food we've given her, she pushes the bowl away and...hides in the corner.."
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I was even more concerned. She was starving herself, but for what reason? We both sit at the table and talk about it.
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Jake slumps in the seat next to me and drinks coffee. "What're you two working on?"
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Arelin responds, "Well, Iris is helping me find how to uplift the curse inflicted on my sister."
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Ecluna sits in the seat next to Arelin. "If anyone knows anything about curses, it's our parents, Mrs. Araginee specifically."
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"And your mom Arelin," Jake says before taking another drink of coffee. "Luckily, that's the first class we take."
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While we eat, we discuss more on the topic, also getting Ecluna and Jake in on the plan. When the bell rings, we all run to the Magic Classroom and we enter our seats.
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"Welcome back, children. I see we all got some decent rest. Today, we're going out on a field trip to the Kingdom District to observe the traditions and overall magic."
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A nice trip to a district I had yet to see. Jake always talks about his hometown and how medieval and historical it was.
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"Of course, before we leave, we have to do roll call."
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So Mrs. Aurelia checks everyone as present, we walk out of campus and enjoy the nice warm, early September air.
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"The nearest train is near Ringmaster Poppy's circus. We can take that train all the way around to the Kingdom District if we catch the right one."
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So we tumble down the hill into the valley, where the circus loomed above. Just in front of it is a station, ready for people to aboard the train that awaited.
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Surprisingly, Ringmaster Poppy was already standing there, waiting for us. "I heard the Creative Juniors were headed to the Kingdom District. It's a long trip. That's why I brought these," She holds up two bags of buttered and caramel popcorn. "Free of charge of course. You kids have fun!"
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We hear the train in the distance, its gears grinding as it makes a loud screeching noise. The doors open, and we enter into the safety of the train. When it started moving again, I look out the window, where the grasses of the valley waved like a beautiful bright yellow ocean. I hear the soft whirring of the train as it sped past the endless sea of yellow grass.
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I hear talking amongst the others, specifically, Arelin and his mother. I hoped that their conversation was about helping Alena, who we were also hoping to see. I look out the window again. We were getting closer to our destination, as I could see palaces towering over the wall and gate that distinguished the outskirts to the Kingdom District itself. The intercom turned on to announce our arrival, and the train halted with a screech. The doors opened, me and the others exited, and the train sped away. From the first step I took on the kingdom's grounds, I feel my clothes warp around, until I looked just like a normal mage of the medieval town.
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"Eh?" I look at the new clothes. "What happened?'
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"It would be weird if you saw someone wearing clothes from centuries from the future, wouldn't it?" Jake asks rhetorically, standing in his usual shining armor.
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"I guess."
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"Alright children, go explore the different kinds of magic there is in the Kingdom District, we'll meet back here for lunch." Aurelia says, before everyone splits up. Before I could explore however, Arelin grabs ahold of my shoulder, and motions to follow him.
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"Hm? What's the matter?"
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"We're going to see my sister. Hopefully your magic is enough to do...something.."
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We walk around to the Aquatier Palace. Arelin phases through the wall, and drags me along with him. On the other side, a long hall awaited. We trek down halls, stairs, and finally end up in a closed off room, which we easily pass by jumping over the barricades. Arelin slowly opens the door.
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A girl was curled up humming a small tune to herself in the middle of the room. Arelin tells me to stay there as he approaches her.
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"Alena-"
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Before he could finish his sentence, arms of corrupted magic drags him to her.
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"She's...usually not this...clingy.."
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"I see.." I take a step into the room.
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"Wait," He stops me. "She'll freak out. I'll bring her to you."
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Arelin calmly picks Alena up and walks over to where I'm standing. I feel a shaky aura, as he approached me with the girl.
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I carefully released my webs from my hands. I wrap them around my arms, and I got as close as Arelin would allow me.
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"Hi there Alena," I say with a smile. "It's very nice t-"
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The hands that previously grabbed Arelin now had its palm around my face, it's fingers tightly gripping my head. I was slung across the room, and hit the wall behind me.
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"W-wrong move..." I say, sucking the air through my teeth.
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"Are you okay?"
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I assure him I was. "Mhm! I'm okay, for the most part.."
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He carefully puts Alena down to help me up.
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"I'm sure the more you keep coming back, the more she'll get used to you."
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I nodded. "I think we'll be great friends!"
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Arelin hands his sister something to eat. However, she turns her head and pushes his hand away. His eyes fill with anguish, and he stuffs the food back in his pocket.
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"Hold on Arelin, give me the food,"
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Reluctantly, he gives me whatever he stuffed in his pocket.
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I then examine Alena one more time. "I think the reason she won't eat...is because she can't.."
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It might explain why she doesn't speak either. Arelin writes my words down in his notes.
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"Alena, can you open your mouth?" I ask in return. I see her try to separate her lips, to no avail. She shakes her head.
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"Well, how are you supposed to eat without opening your mouth?" Arelin asks.
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She points toward herself, then towards the food, then motions to the air.
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"I don't...understand, I'm sorry.."
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She points towards the food again. When I looked down, the tan color of the food had faded to a light grey. In panic, I dropped it. An orb of tan stood in front of me.
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Arelin quietly observes it. "How did this happen?"
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"I-I DON'T KNOW!"
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"Calm down, this is just another ability of yours," he opens up his hand. "I'll just cancel it out with mine.."
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A dark smoke lifted from his hand, and he directed right towards the orb that floated in front of me. Just as the two energies made contact, I feel the pressure of the explosion that occurred. Once again hitting the wall, I go unconscious.
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***
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I wake up back in my dorm room. Espero was sitting in the bean bag chair I had put in, sipping on a warm cup of tea and reading his book.
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"Welcome back. I should've told you not to mix Dark and Light magic together." he takes another sip.
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"What happened?"
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"Dark and Light magic are complete opposites. One isn't stronger than the other, so yeah, testing your magic on each other really isn't a good idea. Just a hunch.." he tells me.
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"That doesn't explain what happened Esp.." I give him a slightly annoyed look.
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He lets go of the teacup, and holds it using his psychic abilities. "Like I said, one of you tried to cancel out the other's attack, and well...it kinda made of an explosion."
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I look at my hands in disbelief.
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"Okay soo...I think I remember.."
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"Hm? What are you talking about Iris?"
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"Espero, when I went down to the Kingdom District today-"
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"You went to help Alena, right?" he sips then continues, "No one can really cure it, just...prevent it from progressing.."
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"So...we're doing this...for nothing...?" I ask.
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"I mean, just because no one can cure it doesn't mean it can't be cured. Who knows, maybe you'll be the one to find the cure.."
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"I am going to find a cure. I just have to work a little harder."
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I try to force my magic out of my palms.
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"Iris, you're gonna hurt yourself.."
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"If I'm gonna try to save Alena, then I have to train my magic."
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"You're forcing it. Training and forcing your abilities are two totally different things," he takes another silent sip. "Just slow down and think about it. If Light and Dark magic are complete opposites, and if you know that one cannot destroy the other, why would you try to hurt yourself again and Alena in the process?"
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"Hmm..." I rub my chin with my finger. "We need to figure out how to regulate my magic enough to where both energies don't react."
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"And figure out how to use that magic to remove the corruption, but keep Alena's regular Dark magic," he grabs a pen and some paper and begins writing out a extremely complicated equation.
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"Esp? What's wrong?"
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"You're distracting me Iris, give me a second..." he intensely draws a human body as a reference.
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"From important points where magic escapes from the body, the head, hands, and feet, we can pinpoint where the corruption is most strongest, and then you could remove the corruption without hurting Alena."
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"I'll have to get Arelin on this."
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"Yeah, that would be preferable.."
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"Okay, I'll go get him!" I stand up, but the aftermath of what happened caused a slight headache.
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Espero, using his magic, sits me down. "Nevermind. Just...sit here until I get back.." He leaves the room. I lay back in my bed and think about the plan me and Espero came up with. Was this really going to work?
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A few minutes later, Espero, Arelin, and Alena all walk in. Alena quietly sits in the corner of the room, and Arelin and Espero look at the diagram.
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"It could work, but there's no one weak enough to remove it safely," Arelin looks at me. "The explosion is a very good example of powerful magic."
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"So, I just have to try keeping it at a lower power level?"
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"It's not as easy as you think, Iris. No one can really control how strong or weak their magic is..."
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"But how am I so powerful? I barely know my own abilities.."
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"It's not about your abilities, it's about the strength of your magic as a whole. The reason you can't help Alena right now is because your power level is too strong for her body to handle.."
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I think for a minute. Who else could have light-related magic other than myself and my mother?
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"Iris, could you get Ecluna for us?" Espero takes a sip of tea. "And try not to hurt yourself on the way down, okay?"
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I give a thumbs up, and leave the boys to their work. The hallways were just barely empty, with other students walking quietly.
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I take a look at Ecluna's door, which was a deep, night sky blue. On it, a note was taped on.
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"At the observatory! Come back later!" was written on the light yellow sticky note in Ecluna's handwriting.
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"Observatory?" I ask myself. "Does she mean her family observatory?"
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I remembered the shortcut behind the school. A golden field separated the Academy from the Wildlife District. So, I set off in order to find Ecluna.
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I continue walking down the hall to the nearest exit to the field. I was a few halls away from it, when a dash of darkness flew right in front of me. I looked towards the direction it went.
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"Ecluna?" I ask, my echoes following. "Listen, if you're trying to scare me, it's not going to work. I really need your help.."
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I speedwalk my way outside, looking behind me before the door shuts.
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I see the forest of the Wildlife District far in the distance. All I had to do was run across the field. I breathe in, then out, and begin walking. However, when I took the first step in the golden grass field, I felt a sense of dread quickly flash in front of me. Whoever this was, it wasn't Ecluna.
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In a sense of panic, I immediately activate my magic to protect myself. But before I had realized, it was too late. Whatever was following me had wrapped me up in an arm of magic. I felt it tighten around me.
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"Hello there.."
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