Kindness in the darkness.
Macey's eyes felt heavy due to the lack of sleep she got last night. She spent the entire time, tossing and turning, with the image of the monster that tried to kill her continuously running in her brain. What did it want? she thought, gulping down hard at the realisation that a creature attempted to kill her. And why did it weep moon mage before it...
A sharp pain shot through Macey's whole body, making her hiss in resentment. It took the entire night, but the spell the monster cast on her eventually faded. Her voice returned to her the moment she woke up; however, the after-effects were still prominent, inflicting pain on her each time she moved her neck.
"That doesn't look too good."
Suddenly, a guy walks through the door, looking right at Macey's grim face with a worrisome facial expression on his own. Without warning, this guy sat right next to her, tilting his head with these honey-coloured eyes glaring directly at her wound.
"Mind if I take a look at it?"
Yeah, I kind of do, Macey thought, backing her body away from this stranger — who might be a murderer. In response to her sudden actions, he flinched as well, then began to laugh in an attempt to make this less nerve-racking awkwardly.
"No need to worry," he said, beaming the most innocent hazel eyes Macey had ever seen. "I'm a White Enhancer in training. It's fair to say, your in capable hands."
Macey shook her head, grimacing at him while he continued to portray this angelic aura that made her feel like a sinner. The guy raised her brow at her, shooting this adorable smile that made her melt in an instant.
"Well, when you put it like that." Slowly she began to sweep her hair behind her shoulder, keeping a keen eye on this guy in case he tried to do anything — dodgy.
He paused for a moment before placing his hand underneath the crook of her neck. The icy fingers of this guy made Macey wince, making her suck in a breath when the frost climbed up her neck.
"Sorry about that," he muttered, attempting to be gentle with his touch. "The many perks of being an ice sage, I guess."
Macey could feel an Arctic breeze sweep through her hair, with her ears catching the harmonious chime of a bell. With the snap of his finger, followed by a tiny hex etching into the surface of her skin, she began to feel much better and could move her neck without feeling any pain.
"Wow, thanks." Macey's brows creased together and her lip pouted outward because she had no idea who he was.
"I'm Isiah," he laughed, extending his hand outward towards her own. "But everyone calls me Iza."
Macey half smiled and placed her hand in his, telling him who she was. Not once did he even notice her birthmark, which she found rather odd, like a nice change unusual.
As she spoke to Iza, Macey felt a chill climb up her spine, shivering from the icy climate their lecture hall was set out to be. The walls had a cold smoke casting off it, with snowflake hexes scattered all along with the giant ice bricks. Small icicles jutted out of the side of the desks and out of the roof, similar to some winter wonderland.
But unfortunately, Macey made the wrong decision in clothing. She wore denim shorts with designer fishnet stockings and a cardigan that flaunted her now frozen shoulders. While she sat there shivering, Iza began to take his jacket off, extending it towards Macey who looked at him with a fragment of doubt.
"Here," muttered Iza. "You look like you need this more than me. I'm an ice sage; the cold doesn't bother me."
She frowned at the chivalry Iza portrayed but couldn't help feeling like he was up to no good. The men that appeared in Macey's life have always demanded something from her. It was either to have her as arm candy, sleep with her or worse — all because she's the moon mage.
"Wow," sighed Macey, slowly tilting her head. "Are we hinting at something here Iza?"
He gasped, holding his hands in defence while shaking his head sideways. "What? Oh, goddess, no!" Iza bit his lip, averting his eyes to the walls, turning a light shade of pink in his cheeks. "I mean, your pretty and everything but, I'm not into you like that."
The innocence Iza portrayed made Macey giggle and made her feel dumb for thinking he was sleazy. She then wrapped his oversized jacket around her, feeling somewhat warm with the extra layer of clothing.
"I'm joking," laughed Macey, placing her arms through the jacket that looked insanely ridiculous on her. "I can see how you're not looking for more than friendship."
How can you tell?" asked Iza, screwing his lip at her.
Macey half shrugged. "Well by now, a guy is either staring at my chest, telling me some corny pick-up line or both — and you're doing none of those."
Iza let out an awkward chuckle while gathering a few books out from his bag. "No wonder you doubted me, I'm sorry that I gave the wrong impression. I can be a little too forward sometimes, and can come off a little too strong."
"Don't be sorry," said Macey, feeling kinda guilty for making Iza sad. "More guys should be friends like you. Then I wouldn't be so judgemental."
She then placed her hand on his shoulder and smiled, making him smile back.
"Thanks, Macey," Iza chimed, smiling right at her. "And the reason why I'm so kind is that I wanna be friends with everyone. When I become a fully-fledged White Enhancer, then people can rely on their friend to heal them — which will be me."
"What a goal," said Macey, fetching her books and stationery, placing them on the ice-covered desk. "Good luck with that, no doubt you'll be successful in that role. I mean, I'm not the one for friendships, but you've convinced me otherwise."
Suddenly a thudding noise hitting the cold wooden floors caught Macey's ears, along with the clacking of heels. The room began to become silent as their professor strolled into the room.
"That's our professor?" queried Macey, raising her brows at her.
Iza nodded. "Yeap, that's professor Del Obsidian, she's a White Enhancer for the Citadel and also an Ice Master."
She looked incredibly young compared to the other professors, making Macey think they could be the same age. Her hair was a sickening magenta that was tied up in two pigtails down the side. Her big blue eyes shimmered like the ocean and looked radiant against the shine of the ice that surrounded them. And the dress was super adorable, a mix between fashionable and disgustingly girly.
"Wow," gasped Macey. "Never seen a familiar quite like that before."
Its fur was snow-white, with small icicles jutting from its limbs. It had tiny little arms, and large floppy feet, hopping slowly along the ground as it followed Del to her desk. It's tail dragged along the ground, gathering frost from the floor and had these sparkly black eyes that peered right at Macey.
Her familiar was a kangaroo, and it had items tucked away in its pouch.
"Good morning," sang Del, spinning across the ice-covered floor. "Welcome to your very first master's lecture. I'm so excited to be back at Grendilton."
She was so giggly, skating along the front of the class, twirling in mid-air. Macey found this odd, unable to gain a grasp at what was going on.
Del stopped and cleared her throat. "Sorry my little icicles, every time I get a chance to leave the Citadel, I get all giddy." Her eyes glanced over her class, placing her hand over her forehead like she was searching for someone in particular. Macey knew who that person was, and hid behind her book.
Tilting her head to the side, Del frowned at her familiar. "I thought I had the moon mage in my lecture. Guess she swapped classes. Oh darn, I had an awesome lecture prepared, filled with lunar energy aspects too."
Macey's eyes widened. "Lunar energy?"
"Yeah," sighed Del, who slumped over in sadness. "It was more about the legend but-"
When her eyes looked at Macey, Del cupped her face in the palm of her hands and squealed in excitement. Maybe I should have stayed hidden, thought Macey, watching the professor fangirl in front of everyone.
"I can't believe it," squealed Del, consulting in her familiar that looked at her with its beady eyes. "I've got the moon mage in my class. I can finally teach my students the legend of the benevolent sun sage and moon mage — but a more alternative version."
There were countless legends about this particular sage and mage, ones that everyone refers to as the sage of tranquillity and mage of peace. Alongside the five founders of light, they conquered the darkness that drowned their world thousands of years ago. In its wake were two babies that held in their veins the ability to control solar power and lunar energy — a rare talent that Macey has, and she can't understand why.
"So how does it go?" asked Iza, capturing the professor's attention. "I've only ever heard the one."
A gasp tumbled out of Del's mouth, raising her brows in curiosity. It was like someone flicked their fingers that made her transform from this star-struck female to someone who was all about the business. She held her hands together in front of her, jerking her chin up to the class.
Del cleared her throat, making Macey lean in a little closer to what she has to say.
"Well, we all know the story about the legend of the five founders of light and their battle against the darkness. We also know how the sage of tranquillity and the mage of peace gave their lives to close away the bringer of death in an unknown realm they created." Del then paced around the front of the room, patting her familiars head every now and again. "However, not many people know about the supposed reincarnations — the two babies that were left in the wake during the first sunrise without the darkness. They were the very first humans to harvest the power of the sun and the energy of the moon, respectively."
Del then stopped in the middle of the room, wiping her dress with the back her hand, peering across the class with her ocean blue eyes.
"Together, they travelled the world, spreading peace and tranquillity in the name of the gods they came from, attempting to resurrect the hope the humans lost so long ago. Throughout the world, they found fragments of darkness that remained and demolished it with their benevolent powers. The sun sage and the moon mage were an inseparable duo; nothing could separate the two."
Her soft brown eyes beamed with excitement, feeling her mouth jar open with every new word Del said. All her life Macey would forage for even the smallest bit of information about the sun sage and the moon mage, begging her parents to read them all for her.
She began to fumble with the jade stone around her wrist, remembering every story held one thing in common — these two powerful entities were inseparable, giving Macey hope that somewhere in the world there is someone with the same abilities as her. The thought faded with each passing day, but it never truly disappeared.
"Their final destination was in the middle of a strife between the Summoners Guild and a Paladins Guild. The men of each faction had built up anger and decided to take it out on one another."
Del then stood by bliss, scratching underneath its chin which made the kangaroo shake its foot.
"If they didn't step in to intervene, they would have killed one another, and more darkness would have surely risen. They combined their powers, summoning four purified versions of the elements to their aid to heed their debates from continuing. Both the sun sage and the moon mage harshly reminded them what their discussion could have led to had they continued their battle. Together, they
decided to create a training facility for them, getting the five founders of light involved — who, at the time, was creating the Citadel of Magics."
Del then stood stoically in the middle of the room, peering down at the remains of a white faded hex that seemed carved into the ground. It was a hex Macey had seen many times before, one that merged with another sigil.
"That training facility is Grendilton." With her hands held out to the side of her, Del then looked down at her feet, and half-smiled. "Below me is what we call an eclipse sigil, which was used to stop silly men so that history didn't repeat itself. This hex is used to summon the power of the elements, which we masters use when the forces of darkness threaten the institute."
Everyone gasped, including Macey who felt a slight jolt of tremor spiral through her body. I've seen that before, she thought, gulping down hard with furrowed brows. But where?
"Professor," said Iza, raising his hand, which Del acknowledged and let him speak. "Was the power of the elements used against the reign of shadows sixteen years ago?"
Del tilted her head in confusion. "I can't quite answer that, because I wasn't here. But I know Professor Lucian was, he was in his final year then, maybe he can answer that for you. However I do know of the events. Something about terrible creatures that rose from the smoke and harboured haunting purple eyes."
Macey's mouth dropped to the ground, with nothing but a single gasp leaving her throat. Her eyes widened, feeling her bottom lip quiver in shock. Could it be? She thought while slowly shaking her head. Are they talking about the same creature that attacked Connor and me?
Iza sighed then leaned back in his seat, resting his face in the palm of his hand.
"That's a shame," he said with such a radiant smile. "Thought the power of the elements could destroy a shadow."
These shadows, thought Macey, leering at Iza who continued to listen to Del's story. This strangely nice boy knew something Macey didn't, and she was going to get down to the bottom of this. She extended her finger towards his shoulder when suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he caught her, which made her halt in actions.
"You wanna know, don't you." Leaning in a little closer, Iza began to whisper into her ear. "I caught Connor snooping around some of the books I have lying about in our dorm that talk about creatures of darkness. When I asked him why he was doing what he was doing, I gave him more info."
Macey gasped, then locked eyes with him, who couldn't help but shake his head and smile.
"My parents were the first to come across them when they first came on scene. But they never tell me much about that day." Iza's face went grim with his honey-like eyes becoming dark in transparency. "Now they research them for a living. And I can tell you, from experience; they're something you shouldn't be messing around with."