"Hello Seph" a disembodied voice spoke from somewhere. I inwardly panicked not recognizing the voice that was speaking to me.
"No need to panic. We're one in the same, silly. I'd introduce myself but you have yet to name me." The voice chuckled at the end almost shyly. I was unable to open my eyes, but I realized that the voice was coming from within me. All of sudden it dawned on me. The voice was the spark that had nestled in me that day.
"Yup that's right! Except I'm not that spark specifically. I've always been inside of you. Remember, we're one in the same. I am you, and you are me." What do you mean we're one in the same?
"Well… I've been with you since the beginning. I remember Mom singing us to sleep. I remember that scary man who squeezed the voice out of us. I remember the feeling of feeling trapped inside of that cell. Then it went from remembering these things to feeling like I was awoken from a deep slumber. That crystal felt like it made me want to awaken. Commanded me even."
Why couldn't I feel you before then? I could have really used someone to talk to for that time I was all ALONE. If I was speaking my voice would have been cracking at the strain from keeping myself from crying. Knowing that there was someone with me that entire time in the dungeon made me feel a sense of anger, resentment, but also guilt.
"I understand how unfair it feels. Sorry Seph, but I didn't even know what I was. Just that I was there watching. Unable to do anything. All of your feelings were pouring into me. Then BAM I was there."
I took a deep breath, needing a moment to process this new voice in my head. What do you wish to be named? I'm not very good at doing things like that. Sorry. I felt the need to apologize to the voice. I really wanted to have my first friend ever like me. Being asked to name someone as soon as meeting them really set me on edge. "No need to panic there silly. Honestly I just want to be something. Something that has meaning. Ya know?"
I mulled over what the voice was saying, and then a story book that Mom used to read to me hit me. Since my name is Sephanie can I call you Linette? "I love it Seph! Linette! My own name!" I could feel the happiness flow from within me giving me a warm and fuzzy feeling. Like that first day I felt it.
"Alright now that I have a name I'll let you go. That one guy really is a meanie huh?" Oh Dickhead? Yeah I think he wants me to go back… Linette I really don't want to go back. "Same. Let's work together to stay away 'kay? We'll talk later tonight! Bye Bye!"
Upon hearing the goodbye it felt like a whooshing pulled my consciousness back to the room I had come from before. My hands were still resting in the black pool. I could feel the stares of people in the room around me. Those stars though were still so beautiful bouncing to and fro.
"Seph?" I could hear the voice of the headmaster pulling my attention away from the stars. "Yes?" I pulled my eyes back to look into his. "Did you hear me?" He furrowed his brows. "No… sorry…" I looked back down to the pool of water. Being suddenly aware of the dire straights I was back in. I could feel Linette in my chest draw away as well. I couldn't help but shuffle my feet in nervousness.
"Do you feel anything inside of you? Anything that wasn't there before? Any sort of feeling at all?" I had to resist the feeling of clutching my chest in a bid to protect Linette. "There… is… a feeling." I couldn't meet the headmaster's intense gaze on my face. "It's not that I don't trust you Sephanie, but I'm going to have to make contact with it ok?" He was standing only a few feet away from the pool, but started stepping closer.
"You're… not going… to hurt her are you?" I tried meeting his gaze but had a hard time holding his intense gaze. "Her? What do you mean?" He slid his hands into the pool. His knuckles grazed my fingers and instinctively flinched backwards. "Linette is… my first… friend." He puzzlingly looked at me and then clasped my hands.
"I'm going to reach out with my magic. You might feel something that feels uncomfortable. Don't fret, I won't hurt anyone or anything." When he said that I felt my insides calm down a little. Then I could feel a strange pulsing sort of energy emanate from his hands. It coiled down his fingers. It felt disgusting in nature, and I did my best not to try and flee from the feeling. The energy started to seep from his fingers trying to wriggle underneath my skin. I could feel Linette inside of me recoil from the invasive energy.
Does it hurt? You ok?
From within me I could feel Linette give me a reassuring pulse. She started to uncoil and slid down from my core. Into my shoulders, and then gingerly make her way down to my fingers. She reached out and met the energy and touched it. I could see the headmaster jolt in return, surprise hitting his face. His eyebrows furrowed even deeper.
"Sephanie." The headmaster's mouth turned into a grimace. "Who is Linette?"
I could feel Linette recoil inside of me. Barreling it's way back to my core. Her sense of panic caused mine to soar as well. I could feel tension clawing at my throat. The world felt like it was crashing in on itself. Those words made my insides shrink in on themselves.
"She's… my friend." I replied, trying to keep the panic from my voice. I didn't see the grimace drop from his face. His hands still hanging onto mine. "Does your spark, or should I say does your friend speak to you?" He tried to raise the corner of his mouth into a half smile, but he couldn't fool me with his eyes.
He wants to take you from me!
Linette coiled in on herself more. It felt like she was shaking in fear. I scanned the headmaster's face trying to see if he wanted to take her from me. I felt the need to lie to protect my new friend. "I can feel… her. She's… scared now. Your… magic scared… her." I could see relief pour over his face. He probably assumed the innocence of a child thinking it was something more than it seemed. Can their sparks not speak to them?
I could feel Linette uncoil and Linette seemingly relaxed, just a tad. The headmaster let go of my hands and slid his hands out of the bath. He gestured for a maid off in the corner and she brought over small hand towels. He dried his hands off and handed me the towel. The entire time my eyes couldn't leave his face. If he knew about it, what would he do? He seemed angry when I called you Linette.
"Well, Sephanie… I can proudly say that you're the youngest little mage in history. I could feel your spark when I was reaching out to you. Not only did it respond to me, but you have a very bright future ahead of you indeed. Follow me my dear." He held his hand out and placed it on my shoulder leading me out of the room. There were no words spoken on the walk, but I couldn't help scanning the faces of maids and butlers looking for my person. I couldn't help but feel worried that she was in trouble.
"Magic Sephanie is something that has new discoveries being made every day. Magic is something that can change the world. I just hope that you allow yours to change it in a special way." I couldn't help but feel like he wanted to speak further on Linette but I wouldn't speak on her unless I had to. I could feel Linette flick tendrils of happiness from within me, warming me as she did so. "What… am I… supposed to… change?" I asked him looking into those kind eyes.He stroked his beard furrowing his eyebrows, and gave a slow chuckle.
"When I was a child, Young One… I had wished to feed my village. Monsters had ransacked my home, the village, and several other villages beyond. I watched as many of the ones I called family, friends, and eventually the woman I loved starve. That was the moment my spark spoke to me. Told me to defeat the evil of the world allowing to prevent what happened to me, to happen to others. Many called me crazy for saying my spark spoke but I've never forgotten that moment."
That sounds like us! "What's… his name?" He looked down at me with a grin spreading out on his lips. "Beezelbub. Beezelbub, Little One." He gave my shoulders a knowing squeeze.
"Linette is a beautiful name. Queen of the fairies is a lovely name indeed." I nodded in agreement because my Linette was beautiful indeed. Linette unfurled her coils down my arms as if she was stretching, warming me as she traveled along my body. "Linette… liked your… story." I nervously said to him. He stopped walking and grimaced for a little before speaking again.
"Hello, Linette, it is a pleasure to meet you. For your safety though I'd avoid speaking about her to others except myself. Do you two agree?" I nodded my head in agreement. After walking forward just a little further we arrived at my class. I had been rudely ripped from earlier. He opened the door startling Professor Staples.
"Hello again Staples. I have verified that she has indeed awoken her spark. She can return to class as intended." The Headmaster guided me to my seat. I could see Staples' face light up with gleam."I'd more than welcome the youngest mage in history." He looked at me like I was his greatest reigning achievement.
"To be able to teach the youngest mage in history…" He whispered to himself. I couldn't help but feel very aware of the eyes of my other classmates. I could feel heat flushing to my cheeks. I don't like this attention Linette. She angrily flipped a tendril to my fingers as if she was trying to lash out at the students. I laughed inwardly sending thoughts to her of them getting whipped in the rear. Her tendrils did a little dance as if agreeing, and then I sat down at my seat.
"Sephanie do you know your letters yet?" I blushed in embarrassment shaking my head no. When I had been kidnapped from the village we had only been learning them for a few days at that point.
"While the others are trying to awaken their sparks I'll teach you how to read and write. When your maid comes and picks you up later, inform her to go to the library and get some children's books." I nodded in agreement, but the eyes of the others were making me feel even more uncomfortable.
We're all in this situation. Why does it feel like they dislike me? We were all just released yesterday. They can't hate me yet, right?
I could feel Linette trying to cheer me up. It did little to make the stares go away but certainly made me feel better. After a full lesson of Staples avoiding the other students and only teaching me basic letters, I could hear the doorknob turn. Maids and butlers of the others started pouring in. I nervously looked at the faces and let out a massive sigh when I saw Milinda step through last.
"Sephanie's maid come here." He wiggled his finger to Milinda causing her cheeks to blow up a bright shade of pink and red. I sat at my desk while Staples was discussing with Milinda, most likely about what he had covered that day in the classroom.
"Hey I thought they were bringing you back down there. Did you "give" some special attention to the headmaster?" I could feel Linette swell within me. I whipped around to see who had spoken such vile words. She was behind me and I could see her and the other students giggle to themselves. She had two pigtails bobbing as she chuckled to herself.
I had been overhearing the guards for the past several years speak outside of my cell, so I knew what vile things she was suggesting. Never in a million years would I suspect that the people who were trapped with me would think I'd ever do such a vile act with my kidnappers.
"I… would… never!" I almost shrilled at her. This sudden outburst from me caused her to laugh even harder. "I don't know…? Seems like it took you awhile. What do you think Bobby?" She looked to the girl that was sitting next to her also giggling away at herself. "I mean they were gone for quite some time, Melissa." She shrugged while speaking back to Miss Twin Tails.
These bitches…
Linette was purring inside of me. I could feel her begging to do something to these girls. I could feel my cheeks heating up. My neck was sweating. My fingers curled and uncurled in a tight fist. I looked back over to Milinda and Staples still discussing my study material. "Fuck… you!" I nearly shouted while slamming my palms on my desk. Energy sparkled out of my fingers causing singe marks where the energy escaped.
"Ooohhh so scary!" They kept giggling between each other. "Shut up dumb bitches." One of the boys behind me told them while glaring at them. This caused the girls to giggle even louder. After the boy had stepped in though it seems like this caused their fun to subside since they left me alone. I turned around to thank the boy.
"Thank… you." I nodded my head at him to express my thanks. "Your name is Sephanie? Did you really awaken your spark?" He furrowed his brows at me while asking his question. "Yes… according to… the headmaster." I still didn't know the name of my savior but before I could ask he spoke up.
"My name is Kris. I just didn't like listening to them. Annoying bunch those two." He shook his head while looking over at the two. I could feel the corners of my mouth tilt upwards. It seems like this caused Linette to settle down within me. He looked at me again though much more inquisitively, "so how'd you do it? Awaken it I mean?" He glanced down at the orb on his desk.
"I can feel something there, but other than feeling uncomfortable nothing really seems to happen." He shrugged, holding the orb with both hands. I could see sweat beading on his forehead, but didn't seem to experience my level of pain that first day. I stood up from my desk looking back at Milinda and Staples seemingly ignoring the events that just occurred. I walked over to Kris choosing a seat that was next to him.
"When I… grabbed the… orb… I could feel… the magic within… me." Words seemed to be coming a little easier to me. Hopefully the day that I recover from that squeeze from when I was a kid leaves me behind. Kris glanced from me back to the orb. After a few moments he let out a deep sigh, placing the orb back on the desk he turned his body to better face me.
"Seems like your teacher's favorite huh?" He nodded in the direction of Staples. I could feel heat coming back to my cheeks again but this time from embarrassment. I tried to find the words to defend myself, but he spoke up again before I could find them.
"Honestly, it's not a bad idea to be the favorite in this place…" I could see his eyes drifting off into the distance. Most likely thinking about his time in the cell. I nodded in affirmation agreeing with his reasoning. "I have… an idea… if you… don't mind." Linette… can we try that thing that the Headmaster did? She wiggled down by my fingers giving me affirmation to the idea that I had.
"Give me… your hands." I held mine out to him which he took in turn. I could feel Linette seep from my fingers. Weirdly the process felt a little draining, but nothing I couldn't handle. I could feel Linette leach her way into his skin. I could feel her slithering up Kris' arms. Tinderly searching around as if looking for clues. She reached her way into his chest. I was so focused on Linette that I didn't see Kris' face contort into one of pain. He clinched my hands as Linette dug around inside of him. Then I could feel her excitement when she found his core. She tapped at it gingerly at first. Then I could feel her wrap around the core trying to find a way to awaken the core.
"AHHH" Kris released my hand clasping at his chest. I stood up scared from the sudden noise. Scared that because we lost the grip what if Linette was stuck inside of him, but I could still feel her in my fingers just like normal. Kris continued to clutch at his chest screaming in pain. I could feel the color draining from my face as I could see blood pooling in Kris' eyes, dripping from his mouth, and the really scary part was it was also dripping from his ears.
"What's going on back here!?" Staples came charging over looking between Kris and myself. Staples knelt down next to Kris. I stood there shell shocked watching the whole scene unfold in front of me. "MAIDS take the kids away. You…!" He pointed at Milinda.
"Take him to the infirmary right away! His core will explode at this rate!" He picked up Kris into his arms running to the front door. I stood there too shell shocked to move, to do anything. Did we fucking kill him, Linette? What if we killed him?
"Sephanie come here now!" Staples yelled from the front door. I rushed over to Staples expecting the worst. "I'm sorry… I tried… to help him." I could feel myself stuttering over my words. Panic was deep within my chest. Linette was slowly unfurling herself, moving her way back to my core. The warmth subsiding from my body did nothing to alleviate my fear. Staples handed Kris over to his butler and turned to face me.
"Magic is a very dangerous thing when you don't know what you're doing!" Staples raised his voice causing me to startle even more. "I'm sorry." I was looking down at my feet. I didn't want Kris to die, but greedily so I didn't want to be put in the cell even more.
"Explain exactly what happened. I need to know, to see what we can do for Kris." He crossed his arms looking straight into my face. I felt the need to escape even further so I wrenched my hands in my lap, staring a hole straight into the floor. "I wanted… to help… so I…" My voice broke while speaking. I cleared my throat.
"I touched… his… core." The words barely came out as a whisper. I couldn't see Staples' face since I was trying my best to become invisible. I was trying to become one with the void. Staples voice was the only thing that was keeping me on this plane of existence.
"Hmm… normally I'd congratulate you for doing such a dangerous thing. If Kris lives this situation he will have awakened his core, but having it forcibly opened will cause a great strain to his heart. What you've done today is put a great mage at risk. I applaud you for wanting to help someone, but can't congratulate you for experimenting with things that could put him at such risk. When your maid returns I would appreciate it if you could go about your day. The teachers will deal with the situation as it is for now." Then with that he left. Leaving me there alone. I didn't even have the nerve to move.