The New Story

Chapter 3

There were parents, there were graduating students, there were representatives from Spathi's army and Spalons specific army waiting for new recruits. It was crowded in the common space of the Academy. She remembered all the times her and Keoat got to the Academy early and just talked all morning until their classes started. About that time when she got into her third year at the Academy and Keoat kissed her and then never mentioned it again. The times her and her friends staying way late after school to hide and find each other.

So many years spent here as a child, then a young adult just trying to find her way and who she was. She doesn't even quite know if shes even come close to doing that yet, but Audrielle hopes that this day will solve that for her.

She decided she was going to wander around for a little while. Look around the school one last time before she goes off to do what Spalon thinks she should do with her life. When she was walking down a long hallway she heard cries coming from one of the classrooms. Audrielle followed the cries to her old science classroom from her first year.

When she entered the room she saw a small girl crying in the corner. It seemed she didn't notice Audrielle yet, so to try to keep her presence hidden for a little longer she closed the door as quietly as she could. But it seemed she failed for the girls cries stopped abruptly and her head shot straight up to look at Audrielle.

She had dark black hair and black eyes. She was definitely the first year, maybe she skipped a year because she looked no older than 13. Her eyes then went from Audrielle to any exit she could find around the room, and then when she realized there were no more other the door Audrielle was standing in front of she just kinda burst out crying again. Audrielle kind of freaked out not knowing what to do with a crying child.

She kind of just tried to approach her, but the closer she got the more distressed the girl seemed to become. So she stopped in her tracks and just decided to speak instead.

"Are you okay?"

After she asked this there was a moment of silence. The little girl spoke.

"What does it seem like?" She asked, her tears stopped through abruptly after Audrielle spoke.

"It seems like a person wouldn't be crying in a room for no reason. You don't have to tell me but now that I found you I can't really leave you here to cry alone in a room."

"I just- I'm just...it nothing. I just don't belong here."

"And who said that?" Audrielle inquired. It seemed that the girl's clothes were a little dirty and her hair was wild in one place as if it was pulled. The girl just looked away when Audrielle asked this. Like she was nervous to say.

"Just some stupid kids in my class..." she trailed off. Audrielle sighed at her response. She remembered all the time's kids in her class picked on her for the unusual way she looked. Blood red hair and striking gold eyes really caught people's eyes. And not always in a good way. But Audrielle always had Keoat there for her to make her feel better and pick up the pieces the other kids left behind. And as she could see this little girl didn't have that.

So she smiled at her, and walked over and planted herself right next to the girl. And she just embraced her. And at that, the girl just burst into tears again. She balled and sobbed and sniffled into Audrielles shoulder until there was no more strength inside of her to keep crying. It seemed no one showed a lick of affection or kindness to this child. She looked different, just as Audrielle did. Black hair and black eyes almost as dark as the deepest night sky. But Audreille learned to see beauty differently.

"So what's your name?" Audrielle asked.

"Magiea."

"Well Mageia, you know the only person you should listen too?"