The Chronicles of Soraya Thenayu: Darkwood Academy

Chapter 3: Tishva's Failing Memory

Soraya's chest burned, but she knew she needed to stay calm and choose between trying to gulp down more air or lose what little she had stored up in her lungs by trying to further convince him that she wasn't lying.

"It's me... your daughter..." Soraya managed to whisper while sinking to her knees. There was no air around her anymore. She held her breath and prayed to the Gods to have mercy on her.
Time seemed to stop as Soraya's vision blurred. She looked up at Tishva's shadow cast face before closing her eyes.

This was it. She was going to die. At least she would see her mother again.

"Soraya!"

The flame in Tishva's eyes vanished. A look of horror crossed his face as he became aware of what was happening.

"Oh Gods, what have I done?"

He put his right hand down, and air immediately surrounded his daughter once more. "Are... are you okay?" he asked, his voice trembling. He stooped down, wrapping his arms around her.

Soraya took several deep breaths in, the burning in her lungs disappearing completely. After calming down and processing what had just happened, she burst into tears. "Papa! Why?" she sobbed into her father's shoulder. "Why did you hurt me?"

"Oh kiddo, I am so sorry," he planted a kiss on his daughter's head. "Hold on tight, we're going home."

He swiftly picked up Soraya, cradling her in his arms before taking three bounds forward and leaping into the air. They flew high above the trees.

The girl's jaw dropped open as the ground fell away beneath their feet. The cool morning air blew in their faces, running its icy fingers through their hair. For a few seconds, Soraya was almost filled with bliss from soaring into the sky. Then, Tishva landed gracefully in front of their home.

"How was that?" he asked with a trembling voice. "You finally got to fly."

"I-it was wonderful," Soraya smiled sadly.

Tishva put his daughter down onto the ground. "Hold out your left hand," he said softly. Soraya did as she was told. Tishva placed his right hand on top of hers. "I'm going to give you the last bit of magic that I have."

The faded yellow wind tattoo on his skin disappeared, as did his faded blue web pattern. Two icy kisses planted themselves on both her palms, similar to when she had absorbed Ice Magic. When Tishva took away his hand, Soraya spotted the Air Magic pattern near the center of her left hand. When she looked at her right palm, the Ice Magic tattoo was now a brighter blue and less translucent.

"Th...Thank you, Papa!" Soraya stuttered. She sounded more excited than she actually was. Her father had forgotten who she was and had attempted to murder her just moments before, the girl wasn't sure how to react.

"I want you to have this magic since I don't trust myself with it anymore," Tishva looked down at both of his hands and shuddered. "I don't trust myself at all with anything, anymore..."

Soraya threw her arms around him and hugged tightly. "You'll get better, right Papa?"

Instead of answering, Tishva stooped down and hugged his daughter back. "I'll try. I promise, but the situation just grew more dangerous. I need to keep you safe, even if that means from myself."

Her father released her and opened the front door of their cabin. They both stepped inside and shook off the snow from their boots. Soraya looked over at the clock hanging on the wall and read the time.

Eleven forty-seven... it feels a lot later than that.

Soraya wanted to fall asleep, wake up, and for her father forgetting who she was and nearly suffocating her to death to have just been a bad dream, but she knew it had actually happened. What made it worse was knowing it could happen again.