It was late Summer when Miss Madeline came. She came swiftly and with a pep in her step to pick up Aster and take her to the Keeper's Academy where she may be properly trained. Aster would unfortunately be starting in her second year. She was supposed to begin the year prior, but for reasons Miss Madeleine didn't know, Aster never showed up.
Miss Madeleine had decided that Aster's caretaker, Nelly, had just gotten lost. Nelly isn't a Keeper, after all. Nelly never even attended the Academy herself. So she waited. And waited. And waited.
After a month, it was clear Nelly had no intention of sending Aster to the Academy. Miss Madeleine personally went to the safe house that was agreed upon almost fifteen years ago, but it was empty. Miss Madeliene panicked at first. Were they found out, was Aster captured by Dark Keepers and Nelly murdered?
Miss Madeliene calmed herself, and decided to investigate before jumping to conclusions. After talking to the surrounding Fae, she learned Nelly had packed up and taken Aster somewhere else four years prior. Miss Madeliene was furious.
She spent the next eleven months searching in vain for Aster. She was shocked that she was unable to find the child. On the other hand, she was so impressed and grateful by Nelly's ability to safekeep the child, knowing any enemy would have a much harder time. Eventually it was the Fae that snarked Nelly out, with only a day before classes started.
The Fae are known troublemakers. Always tricking and deceiving whatever mortals they can. Still, they do take a liking to certain Keepers. Miss Madeliene is one of them. Aster Grey is another. But, one young Fae couldn't ignore the fact Aster was out in their woods practicing Keeper Magic while not enrolled in Keeper's Academy.
Though most of the time Faeries opt not to spend their time with mortals, the ones who lived in the woods near Aster enjoyed watching her cast her Light Magic. Light Magic was a rare ability, so the Fae enjoyed watching Aster use her "light tricks" as they called it. Though one young Faery found himself rather annoyed by the attention Aster received.
The culprit who eventually ratted her out was a young Fae, named Beagan. They would never admit it, but they were a tad jealous of Aster's ability. The rest of the Fae thought it was so amazing, the way she could make such a beautiful glow emit from the palm of her hands, but not Beagan. It would be one thing if Aster had been some well known and respected Keeper. But she was a kid, like Beagan, and was in his woods illegally using her magic to impress his friends.
It was quite easy for Beagan to do. Back in the Other Realm, there was some talk about Miss Madeleine, who was very popular among all of the Fae, searching for a young Light Keeper. Light Keepers were as good as extinct anymore, so it was especially obvious who she was looking for.
~~
Miss Madeleine's arrival was a surprise for Nelly and Aster. The day had started as an ordinary day for both of them. Aster had spent the morning doing her chores around the house. Nelly forbade her from entering the nearby woods, so she would pretend her chores took an hour or two longer than what they actually took, and spend her extra free time with the Fae or practicing her Light Magic. By the time she had gotten home it was close to dinner time. They were about halfway through their mushroom cream soup when they heard the knock.
"What in the galaxy?" Nelly wondered, setting her spoon down. She scurried over and nervously opened the door.
Miss Madeliene pursed her lips from the other side of the open doorway. "Oohhh. After all this time, this is how you greet an old friend?" Nelly opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted. "Also, I don't quite find it appropriate that you decided to pack up and move halfway across the land with young Aster without so much as a letter. I was really worried, you know."
Nelly rolled her eyes. "Oh please, you know why I couldn't explain in a letter. Everything I've done, I've done to keep her safe."
"Then why didn't you stick to the plan?" Miss Madeliene pressed. "I waited for you two, a year ago. I was so worried when you never showed up. Then I travel all the way to the house, so I could escort young Aster myself, and the Fae are the ones to tell me you packed up and left with her! I thought I would never see her again."
"Oh don't be so dramatic!" Nelly barked. "It's not like I was keeping her from you. She doesn't need to go to that academy. She doesn't need to practice fighting with magic. She needs to be safe!"
Aster peered around the corner suddenly, curious as to who in the galaxy Nelly was hollering at in the middle of the doorway. Aster had never seen anyone who looked like Miss Madeliene. She was almost incongruous, but in a good way. She had long flowing brown hair, tied into a ponytail on the top of her head in a purple ribbon. Her face looked young, but mature and breathtakingly beautiful. She had large, purple eyes and pink lips, that matched her rosy cheeks. She wore a strange outfit, colored with dark purples and pinks. She reminded Aster of the Fae, mysterious and inviting. Miss Madeleine caught a glimpse of Aster's curious face and suddenly pushed past Nelly and let herself inside.
"Excuse me!" Nelly responded, but was ignored.
"Aster," Miss Madeliene said, looking at Aster as if she were a rare jewel. She wanted to say more, but was caught speechless.
Miss Madeleine was taken aback by the resemblance Aster showed to her late friend. It wasn't the long brown hair, nor the dark olive skin. Her mother had fair skin and hair. It was the face, most specifically her eyes. The structure was all her mother's, the innocent look and striking beauty. Her soft cheeks, her full lips, slightly bitten with her nerve of curiosity. But what really stood out to Miss Madeliene was her dark, forest green eyes. The shape and color, it was an uncanny resemblance to her mother.
After a few moments of staring at each other Miss Madeliene cleared her throat. "Excuse me for staring, Aster, it's just you resemble your mother so much."
This intrigued Aster. She fully exposed herself from behind the corner and stepped closer to Miss Madeleine. "You knew my mother?"
Miss Madeliene nodded. "Lila was my best friend."
Aster's face turned into an array of hope. She had the kind of smile that is utterly contagious. Her eyes lit up even more than Miss Madeliene thought possible. She began to speak quickly, as if she didn't have enough time to get the words out. "What was she like? You said I look like her? Could she use magic? You were best friends?"
Miss Madeleine glanced at Nelly, "Have you not spoken to Aster about any of this?"
Her answers rested in Nelly's expression, who looked like she was ready to stuff a sock in Aster's mouth after her spitfire of questions.
"Young Aster, you and I will have lots and lots of time to catch up and I will answer all of your questions. But right now, we need to focus on what I'm here for!" Miss Madeleine exclaimed.
"Aster is not going anywhere." Nelly demanded.
"What do you mean?" Aster questioned her guardian. "I'll be sixteen in the spring, you can't treat me like a child forever! Tell me what's going on, please."
Miss Madeliene instantly began to speak, assuming Nelly would lie or avoid Aster's question. "I'm here to take you to the Keeper's Academy. It is there that I, and the other professors, will help you learn about elemental magic, and learn to control your own magic." Miss Madeliene glanced at Nelly, who was now looking at the floor, seemingly aware she wasn't going to talk herself out of this one. "I'm assuming Nelly has told you about being a Keeper, yes?"
"No," Aster replied, looking straight at Nelly, who refused to lift her head. "Absolutely nothing."
Miss Madeliene sighed. "You can't protect her from everything. She's going to find out about magic and she's going to be on her own one day. Don't you want her prepared?"
"She doesn't have to!" Nelly finally looked up. "I never practiced magic. I grew up with kids who decided to not become Keepers. Why must she be forced to learn something she doesn't need!"
Miss Madeliene had a lot of reasons and explanations and arguments to respond with, but she knew only one really mattered. "You know how I found you? The Fae told me about a young girl, practicing Keeper Magic in the woods not too far from here. Not just any Keeper Magic, but Light Keeper Magic."
Nelly looked like she was about to keel over. She lost her balance, which happened sometimes whenever she was over stressed about something. Aster found it dramatic, but being used to it she sprung towards Nelly and caught her before she smacked to the ground. She slowly lowered her and started waving her hand as a fan in her face.
"For the love of all that is good in this galaxy," Miss Madeleine clicked her tongue. "Stop being overdramatic, Ellen! Aster, go pack up, I'll handle Miss Dramatics here."
It took a few more arguments, another dramatic fainting spell from Nelly after the sight of Aster's luggage, but eventually Miss Madeleine was successful in retrieving the young Light Keeper. Nelly was dramatic during goodbyes, as Aster expected. She gave Aster a long, tight hug, which was unusual coming from her. Nelly was always pretty reserved when it came to showing physical affection, or any affection at all. Aster didn't resist though, this was the first time she would ever be away from Nelly and even though all she could feel right now was excitement for her new journey, she knew later she would miss Nelly.
After the long haul of goodbyes, Nelly even spared a hug for her old friend Miss Madeleine, the two Keepers were off. Aster had thousands of questions, but she could sense now wasn't really the time. Miss Madeleine seemed pressed against time and moved quickly.
They had to walk on foot for a while. The closest village was about three miles from Nelly's home, and even then in the village they had no serious modern transportation.
"I'm assuming there's no Keepers either?" Miss Madeleine asked as they approached the meager village.
"No, but I do know someone who can use magic," said Aster. "I don't think he's a Keeper."
"Anyone is capable of using Basic Magic," explained Miss Madeleine. "Though it can be difficult to someone who wasn't born with a connection to Elemental Magic."
"Mr. Hoot is the smartest person I know," said Aster. "He runs the Apothecary shop, and tends to anyone with illnesses or injuries. He uses potions a lot." Aster smiled to herself as she thought of Mr. Hoot. "He taught me everything I know about magic. Without Nelly's knowledge of course."
The two Keepers entered the Apothecary shop as Mr. Hoot was tidying up to close for the night. Mr. Hoot was a kind and gentle man. He had told Aster before that his mother taught him about magic growing up, and he took over her Apothecary shop after her death. He was wiping the counter as he heard the bell on the front entrance ring, signaling the entrance of a patron. He turned around and slid his glasses up his nose as he registered who had entered his shop.
"Ahhh, Aster," he began. "Unusual for you to be visiting my shop this time of night. Does Nelly know you're here?"
"This is Miss Madeleine," Aster replied, ignoring his first question due to her excitement. "She's a Keeper and my new professor! I'm leaving this place to attend an academy for magic, can you believe it, Mr.Hoot?"
"Does Nelly know about this?" he asked, surprised.
"Of course!" Miss Madeleine replied, offended. "I wouldn't take a student without the guardian's knowledge!"
"It was rather a fight to get her to allow me though," Aster chuckled.
Mr.Hoot smiled. "Oh, I'm sure it was. Nelly refused to teach Aster anything about magic, you know," he said to Miss Madeleine. "She never wanted her to know the truth about who she is. I'm rather surprised she never banned her from my shop."
"Yes well, she believed she was acting for the good of Aster," said Miss Madeleine with a sigh. "Magic seems to scare her."
"I know," Mr. Hoot said. "I tried to respect that too. I did teach her some though, about healing magic and a few potions and what not. I figured her curiosity and ambition was too strong, she would figure it out one way or another. Might as well offer proper guidance."
"I appreciate that," Miss Madeleine replied, genuinely. "I wish I could've been there this whole time for her." She talked about Aster as if she wasn't standing a mere three feet away. "But I'm here now and everything is going to be different!" She smiled at Aster, causing more hope to grow over her bright eyes.
"Mr. Hoot," Aster began. "Thank you for everything these past few years. I know Nelly gave you a hard time about it, at least the things she knew about."
"Aster, I would do it all again," he smiled. "I'm so excited for you to finally be following your dreams. I get the sense though, you've come for more than just goodbyes?"
"We need a fast way to the Academy," Miss Madeleine told him. "Classes start tomorrow morning." She suddenly put her hand to her lips. "Mmmm, maybe somewhere Aster can get some rest as we journey?"
"Hmmm," the healer thought for a moment. "How did you travel here, Professor Madeleine?"
"Oh well, I actually traveled through the Other Realm, with the help of the Fae of course," Miss Madeleine replied, shyly.
"My word! The Fae!" Mr Hoot exclaimed. "They willingly offered their services?"
"I tend to be in good terms with the Fae," the professor replied. "We help each other out sometimes. I'm afraid I won't be able to use their realm to travel back, as I've not yet done a favor for them."
"I see," Mr Hoot replied. "Hmm. Let me see what I can do."
Mr Hoot went into the back room and closed the door. Miss Madeleine and Aster patiently waited for about twenty minutes before Mr Hoot came back out. Aster noticed Miss Madeleine seemed rather twitchy, as if she regretted trusting the Apothecary shop owner to help them. Aster hoped for the best, and held her breath as Mr. Hoot came back out of the room with news.
"I was able to purchase you a ticket to the Underway Express. It's about three miles from here, and it'll take you straight to Jobbleville, which is only about a twenty minute walk from the Keeper's Academy."
Miss Madeleine beamed. "How in the galaxy did you have the connections to an Underway Express ticket? Especially on such short notice."
Mr Hoot smirked. "Had to call in a favor. But it's worth it to get Miss Aster on her way. I'm excited to see her finally fulfill her true potential."
Aster bid another farewell to her old friend and the two Keepers were on their way. They moved quickly, not giving Aster any opportunity to ask any questions. They passed a few houses and farms, but they were mainly surrounded by forest which made Miss Madeleine feel vulnerable. You never know what creeps in the night. Fortunately, they made it to their destination safely.
Mr Hoot had given precise directions for the location, because it's completely hidden to the naked eye. The only thing Aster could see around her were some trees and patches of grass and dirt. She wondered if they had the right place, but Miss Madeleine knew what to do. She slowly walked around until she could feel a sensation of magic, indicating the entrance. It's one of those things you could never find unless you were actively looking for it. Once Miss Madeleine knew she was in the right place, she swirled her hands around in a circular motion, conjuring magic to her fingertips, but not releasing any fully. This activated the entrance, shaking the ground slightly. Suddenly a patch of grass in front of them began to split open, and a long rectangular shaped compartment rose from the ground. The front door was made of glass, but the rest of the compartment was a silver looking metal. The door suddenly slid open.
"Ah, here we go," Miss Madeleine sang.
Aster was thunderstruck. She knew magic could bring about amazing things, she's seen them before, but this was just something so unexpected. They entered the compartment, with the door sliding shut behind them. It slowly lowered then down into the ground, the patch of grass sewing itself back together. Aster looked around her surroundings.
"It's quite small," she concurred
"Mm," Miss Madeleine nodded. "You don't want to travel with a large crowd."
They travel downward for about a minute or two before coming to a slow stop. Then, the door slid open again and the two Keepers stepped out. Miss Madeleine looked around for a moment, deciding which way to go, and Aster took the moment to gather her surroundings. The floor and walls seem to be the same metal that of the compartment they rode in. In the middle of the floor seems to be a large indent that stretches as far down as they can see, no end in sight. Miss Madeleine leads them to the left, walking along the large valley.
"That's the trail that the Express rides on," Miss Madeleine says as she notices Aster observing the valley on the floor.
"Wow," Aster managed, at a loss for any other words.
Miss Madeleine kept leading forward until they came across a rectangular metallic platform. It wasn't very large, only a few people could fit standing on it. The two Keepers stood and waited patiently and in merely a minute, they were hit by a gushing wind and heard a loud whistle that rang through their whole body.
"That must be it," Miss Madeleine said.
Suddenly, Aster could see three large beams of light, one on top and two below like a triangle, blinding them. They shielded their eyes until the lights passed them, and Aster could only see a blur of blue zooming, but then suddenly slowing and coming to a stop. A loud creak echoed through the vast tunnel as the large blue bullet finally came to a stop. Aster couldn't tell where the door was when suddenly, a part of the blue began to split until it was open like a doorway. A very short man, he probably only came up to Aster's waist, came waddling out of the opening. He was wearing a blue jumpsuit along with a matching blue hat that was so big it nearly covered half his face. He craned his head back in order to analyze the two Keepers standing before him.
He spoke in a surprisingly low voice. "Tickets please."
"Of course," Miss Madeleine replied. She pulled out two small ovals from her back pocket and handed them to the small man.
The man inspected them for a moment, then to Aster's surprise he slightly bit down on one stone oval with the side of his teeth. He clicked his lips together a few times before saying, "Please step on."
The two Keepers followed the attendant onto the Express. Aster began to observe the wall around her. They were a lighter blue than the outside, but completely bare with no windows. Once the opening that they entered through had shut, she couldn't even make out the lining of it. There was a large, red plush bench that stretched as far down the Express that Aster could see on the side opposite of the door they had come in. As far as she knew, they were somewhere in the middle of the vehicle. She couldn't see the front or the end of it.
"Please remain seated," the attendant spoke. " I will bring food and beverages. We will arrive in precisely seven hours."
The plush bench was completely empty except for Aster and Miss Madeleine. They took a seat next to each other. They heard a loud click then were shoved to their right from the momentum of the train.
"Now I see why he said to stay seated," Aster said, correcting herself back on the bench.
"I don't think there's a faster vehicle than the Underway Express!" Miss Madeleine exclaimed. "We are so lucky we got tickets on such short notice."
"We must be really far away from the Academy if it's going to take seven hours."
"Yes, we are. Unfortunately orientation was today. But that's okay, you'll be there for the first day of classes tomorrow! They start 0800 sharp! You'll want to rest on the way there."
Aster's heart dropped. She wanted to spend the ride asking Miss Madeleine questions about her mom, magic, keepers, everything really. But, unfortunately she knew her new professor was right. She needed sleep so that she could face her first day at the Academy tomorrow.
Suddenly, the same short attendant came back pushing a metal tray with two plates covered with a large metal cover. Behind each plate stood a glass of water and a glass of red wine. Under the cover, they had lamb stew, rolls with butter, cheesy potatoes, and more food that Aster had never seen nor tried before. She was completely in awe of the delicious looking food in front of her. She's always had enough to eat, but nothing so tasty and fancy like this. Miss Madeleine took Aster's glass of wine, which Aster expected to happen. For the first few minutes, all she could do was focus on eating. But then she remembered that this was the only time she had to ask questions.
She asked the first thing that came to her mind. "So did my mom attend this Academy?"
"She sure did," Miss Madeleine replied, sipping on her wine. "That's how I met her. She sure was something. She was the strongest Keeper I've ever known."
"Really? So, she was a Light Keeper?"
"Yes. Just like you."
"What does it mean? To be a Keeper?"
"Well," Miss Madeleine began. "When you saw Mr Hoot do magic, I'm sure he was careful and used a lot of concentration. It probably took him some time to conjure up any type of magic?"
Aster nodded. "If someone had a really bad injury, or illness, he would sometimes use magic to heal them, but it was a very long and strenuous process. He always said his mom was better at it than he was, and his specialty was the potions."
"Yes, and whenever you practiced your Light magic, it came quite quick and easy, yes?"
"For the most part, yes."
"Keepers seem to be born with a sort of energy inside of them that they can manifest in the form of elemental magic. Normal magic users have to follow certain spell guides to control elements and utilize them with magic, which is very hard. You can kind of think of Keepers being born with magic inside of them."
"So you can't choose what kind of Keeper you are?"
"Not technically, but there are some exceptions. Some Keepers are able to learn and utilize more than one Element. It can be very tricky. But, for the most part every Keeper is naturally born with on elemental ability."
"What kind of Keeper are you?" Aster asked
"I was born a Water Keeper, but I've actually been able to learn all four. But, it is pretty rare. Principle Pettlegree, the head Principal of the Academy, says I was born with a special energy that allows me to control all four elements."
"Wow, that's so cool," Aster was gleeful. "I don't know, it seems I've only felt a strong connection with Light Magic."
Miss Madeleine paused for a moment to chew her food, then said, "I'm sure Nelly hasn't explained any of this to you, so I'll just tell you now. Light Keepers are only able to learn Light or Dark magic. They are unable to learn any water, earth, fire, or air magic. As any Keeper of water earth fire or air is unable to learn light or dark."
Aster took in for a moment what that meant. "Are there many Light or Dark Keepers at the Academy."
"No," Miss Madeleine responded.
Aster realized she was nearly finished with her meal. She gulped down her water and quickly changed the topic. "You said I look like my mom?"
"Yes. Not your hair, though. Your moms hair was blonde, and her skin was much lighter than yours is. So you must get that from your father. But I see her in your face so much. Especially your eyes. They're identical. It's almost uncanny," she chuckled.
Aster couldn't help but blush. She's never seen a picture of her mom. Nelly doesn't like to talk about her, she becomes too upset, so Aster stopped asking. She never really went into detail about her death either. But was now really the time and place to be asking Miss Madeleine about that?
Miss Madeleine noticed Aster had finished her entire meal. "Well, I'm sure you'll rest well. I'll get us blankets." Miss Madeleine reached below the seat and pushed against the side, opening a compartment. She pulled out two soft red blankets. "I'm telling you, this is the way to travel."
One more question she needed an answer to. "Did you know my father?"
This made Miss Madeleine hesitate. After a moment she decided to tell the truth. "No."
This didn't surprise Aster, but she was still disappointed. Nelly always claimed the same. She said she didn't know anybody who did know her father. Maybe he will always be a mystery. But maybe that would be okay as long as she could find out more about her mother.
Aster curled up on the bench with her blanket. She was exhausted, but she was also honestly afraid to fall asleep. She didn't want to wake up, find out this was all a dream and be back at the cottage with Nelly. She loves Nelly, but even though she didn't know about the Keepers Academy until today, all of this feels like a dream come true. And meeting Miss Madeleine only made her feel closer to her mom. Maybe being around Miss Madeleine is a small hint of what it would have been like to be around her mother when she was alive. All of these new things keep happening and Aster didn't know how to keep up. Her brain scrambled for a while before she was finally able to fall asleep.
~~
Miss Madeliene and Aster woke up to the train screeching to a halt, nearly knocking them off the bench. This caused them both to wake with a start, confused about what was going on. Miss Madeleine was able to gather her bearings rather quickly, while it took Aster a few moments to fully wake up and remember where she was and why. They put the blankets away and stood up, preparing for whatever was to come. Again, the small attendant appeared suddenly and stopped in front of the two keepers.
"I hope you enjoyed your ride. This way."
He led them to the side of the Express and suddenly it began to split open, large enough for a doorway. Aster and Miss Madeleine made their exit and thanked the Attendant before he nodded behind the closing doors. The two keepers were smacked with a large gust of wind that took their breath away as the express sped off.
"Honestly, they could give us some time to move out of the way," Miss Madeleine complained, while pushing down her hair that was sticking out in wild spouts from the gust the Express caused.
Aster laughed while pushing her own hair down and out of her face. Miss Madeleine led them to a compartment pretty much identical to the one that they came down in. This time, the compartment ascended until they rose through the grass and could see daylight. Aster had to rub her eyes when stepping out of the compartment, as they adjusted to the sunlight.
"Rather strange coming up after being on the Express for so long, right?" Miss Madeleine said.
Aster nodded. "I didn't know anything like that ever existed."
"Only Keepers are allowed to use The Underway Express," Miss Madeleine explained. "I was honestly a little surprised there was a station so close to your village. Very convenient though!"
Aster finally took in her surroundings. The compartment they were in brought them to the outskirts of a large village. It was probably three times as big as the one Aster grew up in. The buildings were much bigger and oddly enough they weren't straight up and down, but swayed to the sides. They were all bright and uniquely colored with pointed roofs. There was a yellow path that spread around like a maze throughout the buildings, allowing a clear walkway for the pedestrians. There were no vehicles, but hanging above was an array of thick black lines with colorful Gondolas hanging down, carrying village people. It seemed it was their form of transportation to quickly get from place to place in the large village. The people wore bright clothes that matched the bright buildings and gondolas. Aster specifically noticed some women wearing bright silk robes, she had never seen such beautiful clothing. It was all like a fairy tail to Aster, like any moment she would rub her eyes and wake up back in the small cottage with Nelly where she not only had to hide her magic, but not even speak about it.
Miss Madeleine couldn't help but catch Aster's contagious smile. "Welcome to Jobbleville! Quite magical isn't it? What do you say we go get some breakfast at my favorite diner!"
"That sounds wonderful," Aster replied, still taking in the beautiful sight.
Aster followed Miss Madeleine through the magical village. Aster felt out of place, but nobody else seemed to notice her. They were too busy talking to each other very loudly, with big exaggerated sentences. People were roaming in and out of buildings, holding bags full of goods they just purchased. Along with shops, were tents partially set up along the yellow paths, occupied by store merchants shouting at people passing by, insisting why they should stop and shop. It was all very overstimulating, but still culptivating to Aster.
"This is the village square," Miss Madeleine told Aster through the buzz of the streets. "It's the busiest part of the village."
She was right because the further they kept moving, the less chaotic the village streets seemed to be. Even so, they were always occupied with lively folks. As they moved further from village square, Miss Madeleine pointed out two village folk to Aster. It was a male and a female, both young adults, lingering against a building seemingly taking a leisure break and sipping on a steaming liquid. They both dressed similarly, wearing a silk jacket overtop of a tight fitted suit. The main difference was the color, the man wore dark blue, and the woman red. There was a certain edge to them that struck out to Aster.
"Those are Keepers," Miss Madeleine explained.
Aster stared in awe at the two Keepers before her. In one way they looked like two normal people, like anyone she would have known at the village. But on the other hand, it was almost like she could sense the powerful magic they held. As they kept moving, Aster noticed a few more Keepers now that she knew what they looked like. They seemed to stroll along the streets, watching but not participating. They didn't go inside the shops, they didn't make any purchases. They exchanged pleasantries with some village folk, but would keep moving.
It wasn't long before Miss Madeleine stopped in front of a pleasant looking one story building, colored rose pink and decorated with all different kinds of flowers. Roses, cherry blossoms, daisies, petunias, even asters and many more were plastered on the walls, the roof, the windows, the door. It was truly a beautiful sight.
"This is the best diner you'll ever eat at, at least in my opinion," Miss Madeleine smiled. "The owner is an Earth Keeper, Lam. She's actually the sister of one of your professors."
The inside of the diner was just as endearing as the outside. Flowers posted on the walls. Baked pastries everywhere; on the tables, in a glass display, hanging on the walls. The smell was incredible. It felt like a wonderland that Aster walked into.
"Oh, Maddy!" Aster heard a voice sing over the bustle of the customers. It seemed to belong to a young woman, probably Miss Madeleine's age. Her face was as soft as her voice, surrounded by wavy brown that she attempted to pin back in a messy ponytail. She was wearing a pretty green dress covered with an apron. Her smile shone bright as she approached her old friend. Aster presumed this must be Lam. "It's so good to see you. It's been a while."
"Hello, Lam! I know, I've been gone for some time. I've been on the chase for this one," Miss Madeline patted down on Aster's head.
"A new student?" Lam wondered.
Miss Madeleine nodded. She glanced around before speaking in a quieter voice. "Lila's girl."
Lam's eyes grew wide in surprise. She glanced quickly from Miss Madeleine to Aster and then broke out into a smile. "You don't say! My sister said there was a chance she wasn't able to attend again this year?"
"Not if I have anything to do with it," Miss Madeleine winked.
Lam grabbed one of Aster's hand and wrapped it into both of hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Lam. I attended the Academy with your mother."
"It's nice to meet you," Aster replied. "My name is Aster."
Lam's face lit up. "You are just an incarnation of the flower itself! Truly a pleasure to meet you. Please sit, have whatever you want to eat. It's all on me!"
Aster had never seen such beautiful looking food. There was an array of beautiful pastries decorated with icing as well as meats and eggs baked together, decorated with all kinds of spices and flavorings. Aster wasn't used to so many options. Back home the food was good, but compared to what she's seen on her journey, very bland.
Miss Madeleine noticed the satisfied look Aster wore on her face. "I told you this was just simply the best diner in the village. Lam truly puts all her blood, sweat, and tears into this place!"
"So I have a question," Aster started, while wiping her hands on a napkin. "What's the difference between Lam and the keepers we saw on our way into here?"
"Right," Miss Madeleine replied. "I supposed that hasn't been explained. Well as I said before if someone wants to practice their ability to perform Keeper Magic they just attend the academy to train. The minimum training requirement is two years. After that, they may choose to graduate early. Now if they want to go into the Keeper field of work, they must attend the full four years. Jobs like that would be a professor such as myself, the Keepers we saw who patrol the village and complete missions, certain degrees of healers, or work for the Keepers Council. There's a lot you can do really as a Keeper, so I always encourage students to go all the way and graduate! You never know what's out there for you!"
"What's the Keepers Council?"
"They oversee the Keepers Academy, jobs for Keepers, all sorts of things like that. They set rules and laws for Keepers to follow too. Otherwise, it'd be nothing but chaos. All these people with great powers, doing whatever they wanted," Miss Madeleine shook her head. "I mean we get enough of that even with laws, but still."
After their meal, Lam led Aster and Miss Madeleine into her private area in the back. There she had a washroom for the two to freshen up in and get ready for their day at the Academy. Miss Madeleine gave Aster her uniform to change into, which fit her perfectly. Finally, they were all set to go.
"All right, are you ready for the Academy?" Miss Madeleine beamed.
Aster nodded. "Absolutely."
Miss Madeleine couldn't help but gaze at the eager young Keeper before her. "I can't get over how much you remind me of your mother in that uniform."
Aster blushed. She wasn't quite sure how to react to people complimenting her mother to her, saying she reminds them of her and how much they adored her when she was alive. It was charming and a nice change compared to the years of silence with Nelly when it came to anything that had to do with her mother. But there was something else. A sense of longing and anxiety. The fact these people knew her mother, knew all these things about her, and Aster was absolutely clueless. It simply wasn't fair.
The path to the Academy was easy enough to follow. It was a mere dirt road, surrounded by forest on either side. It was about ten minutes into their journey to the Academy when Aster began to feel it. A sudden chill surged straight through her bones. It caused her to stop in her tracks suddenly. She wasn't sure what was happening.
"Are you all right?" Miss Madeleine asked.
"I think so," Aster warily replied. "I felt something weird."
Miss Madeleine's face went cold. She cautiously observed their surroundings. "Do you still feel it?"
"Not really," Aster replied. She was still shaken up, but the initial daunting chill she felt was gone.
Miss Madeleine grabbed Aster's arm and quickened their pace. "Let's speed up a bit."
It was all Aster could do to not trip over her own feet while keeping up with Miss Madeleine. She wasn't sure what was happening, but she knew it had to do with the feeling she felt. Was she able to sense some sort of danger?
Miss Madeleine had slowly escalated from a fast walk to a jog. It was then that Aster felt it again. It was stronger this time, weakening her balance and causing her to fall. Miss Madeleine was unaware and accidentally yanked Aster and dragged her a few inches through the dirt before turning around.
"Are you all right?" Miss Madeleine yelled, helping Aster up to her feet.
"I can feel it again. It's stronger now."
Suddenly, a cloud of black smoke began to materialize a few feet ahead of the two Keepers. The eerie feeling in Aster's stomach only grew, racking her entire body with an ominous chill. As the smoke began to clear, Aster made out the figure of a man. He was tall and sported a devious smile. He wore a black suit mattered with silver buttons and chains, matching the top hat that covered greasy dark hair. Two dark daggers stared intently at Aster.
"It's funny," he began in a low, raspy voice, "the way fate plays out."
Miss Madeleine laid one arm stretched out in front of Aster, acting as a shield. The other was in a defensive position, pooling magic to her fingertips ready to strike when needed.
The man crumpled his face in surprise. "No need for the dramatics now. I'm only curious." He spoke slowly and in a light tone, like he was hiding his true ruffness. "It's been a long time since a Light Keeper had been spotted. Some say they're extinct."
"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my friend here is not a Light Keeper," Miss Madleine lied.
"Oh?" The man replied. "Is that so? So you're telling me the aura I could feel all the way out here was just my imagination? I could sense the two of you coming since the moment you left Jobbleville."
Miss Madeleine pursed her lips. "I'm saying whatever you felt, is not coming from my friend."
The man laughed, a horrible gauky sound that made Aster's stomach turn. His voice grew more serious, more dark. "You think me for a fool?" Aster cringed away with each word. The man noticed, causing a malicious smile to form on his lips. "Like I said, fate works in funny ways. I'm not from around here, see? I'm on a job that brought me all the way to Jobbleville. It was a pain for me, considering Dark Keepers are prohibited, but I can be very sneaky. Besides, the only Keepers able to sense Dark magic are Light Keepers, ain't that right kid? You can sense me just as much as I can sense you."
Aster drew further into herself as the man smiled at her. It was obvious Miss Madeleine wasn't going to talk them out of this. She was aware of the danger, even Aster could tell this was a dangerous situation, but she didn't understand why. Why has he come before them and why is he interested in Aster?
"Just get on with it," Miss Madeleine demanded, surprising the Dark Keeper. "What do you want? I'm not letting you near this child, and we've got places to be. So either get out of my way, or I'll make you move."
The Dark Keeper laughed another horrible croak. "I see."
He began to raise his hand, but before he could conjure up any magic, Miss Madeleine shot a flame out of her hand at him, that moved with such speed he had absolutely no time to evade. It hit him directly in the chest, launching him back from them. She suddenly clasped her hands together, interlocking her fingers and gripping tightly. Suddenly, the ground around the Dark Keeper began to shake, and large vines as thick as logs broke through the earth and wrapped around his body, binding him to the ground. Miss Madeleine approached, hand outstretched in a defensive position.
"Try anything, and I'll end you," she threatened.
Suddenly, smoke began to slowly rise from the Dark Keeper's body. More and more evaporated until soon, his entire body seemed to dissipate into thin air. An illusion spell, something Dark magic users are known for.
"Damn it," Miss Madeleine shouted, as she turned to search for the Dark Keeper.
Aster could sense him racing behind her. She turned and acted completely out of instinct. She had never performed a defensive spell before, but as the Dark Keeper was lunging for her, his hand was covered by a dark magic turning it into a black claw, Aster threw her hands up and released a great deal of magic. A forcefield set itself up around Aster, the Dark Keeper then smacking straight into it and bouncing backward with a grunt.
It was an unusual sensation, but exhilarating as well. Aster had never performed such powerful magic. Her adrenaline was racing and she felt like she could do more. She raised her palms toward the Dark Keeper who was now slowly trying to pry himself off the ground. She surged a great deal of magic to her fingertips, then released it all at the Dark Keeper. A beam of white light shot straight from her hand, pelting the Dark Keeper head on. He let out an awful shriek, then fell silent as Aster finished releasing the rest of the magic she built up. The Dark Keeper lay in spot, unconscious and singed with a light smoke rising off his clothes.
Miss Madeleine stood in awe. This opponent was a strong Keeper, who wielded a daunting and powerful magic that many feared. Aster had defeated him so easily. Yes he had let his guard down and foolishly rushed towards Aster, assuming as a child she wouldn't fight back. But still. The strength Aster possessed was something Miss Madeleine didn't exactly expect.
"Wow," Aster said, staring at her hands. They were still tingling. "I've never done anything like that before."
"Instinct is a powerful thing." Miss Madeleine said. She walked over to the unconscious foe and clasped her hands together. Again, vines broke through the ground and restricted the Dark Keeper. They kept wrapping around him and squeezing until he was wrapped like a cocoon, completely covered except for his face. "We'll leave him here, this sealing spell will hold him well. I'll send a signal to the Keepers at Jobbleville, and they'll take care of him. We really need to get moving. I did not intend for that roadblock to delay us."
Aster watched Miss Madeleine twirl her hands, pooling magic to her fingertips. She cupped them together, and suddenly a flash of blue light shot straight up into the sky.
"It's a basic spell any typical magic user can learn. It sends an alert to the nearest Keepers, informing them you need help and of the location. They can track who sent the signal too, so I'm sure they'll be finding me with questions later," Miss Madeleine explained. "I'm not worried about that right now. Unfortunately, I'm afraid you'll be about ten minutes late for your first class. I'm sorry, I tried to make it so you wouldn't be on the spot your first day, but it'll be okay."
Aster wasn't too upset about being merely ten minutes late for class. This all felt like such a privilege to her, she was just grateful for everything. Sure, it was very scary facing the Dark Keeper. She'd never felt such fear or danger in her life, and for the first time, Nelly's actions and motives all seem a little more clear. Still, Aster couldn't ignore the rush she felt. The power she wielded. Has she been storing that inside all this time? All these years,Nelly has kept her locked away out of fear. If Aster can just overcome the fear and learn to control her power, Nelly would never try to hide her away again. There would be no reason.
Miss Madeleine finally succeeded in getting Aster safely to the Academy. She felt a surge of relief as soon as they reached the tip of the last set of hills before being able to see the Academy. The sight of it really took Aster's breath away.
It was the biggest building she's ever seen. The size of it alone seemed just as large as the entire village near Nelly's cottage. It was a dark pink color, with dark purple pointed roofs and windows. Surrounding the entire school was a large, thick concrete looking gate. The towers looked so tall, Aster wondered if you could see clouds when looking out the windows. There was a magical glow radiating off the school. Aster couldn't contain the excitement she felt.
Miss Madeleine soaked in Aster's smile. "Majestic, isn't it? Aster, welcome to your home for the next three years."
Tears began to pool in Aster's eyes. For the first time in her life, she finally felt like she was somewhere she belonged. She felt a tad guilty, being so happy to be so far away from Nelly and the life she lived. But magic is a part of who Aster is. She can deny that fact no longer.