Chapter 1:

The sky of Wizard City was clear besides the few spiral clouds that swirled up above. The temperature was ranging from 65 to 70 degrees, like every day before. Apparently there's a spell that Headmaster Ambrose had casted a long time ago that always keeps the weather "perfect". I wouldn't exactly call it perfect though.

Ever since the light incident when my chosen school had become ice, I've always found myself being unnaturally warm in spring weather. I've spoken with fellow ice students and they always reply with either "Doesn't feel too warm to me. I actually like it; it's a nice break from the constant cold" or "…um. No…Are you okay? Do you need to see Ms. Wu?" Some days I'll even find myself sweating in the mild weather.

Headmaster dismisses it as just having a side effect to being an ice student. Since I'm surrounded by such low of temperatures all the time he thinks it's a way of body reacting to help keep me warm. I don't buy it.

As I was saying, it was warm today. I could tell from the fact I had woken up in a sweat. My clothes stuck to me in a gross manner so I took a quick bath then put on some fresh clothing.

Of course my clothing was woven with the most pure and powerful magic within it. Some stolen from evil doers and others bought from shops throughout the Spiral, and one which was my favorite, I had made myself.

I could sew, build, create spells, and taught all my pets to the highest form of ability. I was beyond transcended. I was beyond whatever skill after such. I was "a unique case" as Headmaster likes to put it.

It has been two months since I've completed all training and spell working, six months since I've destroyed all forms of evil in the Spiral that couldn't be handled by Headmaster. No one ever bothered me and I will admit that I was never into getting friends so I had plenty of time.

The only one who I could count as a friend was a girl named Heather Blood. She was a nice girl. Sometimes a little too hyper and dense for my taste, but I refuse to lose the only friend I have so I stick with her.

"Taryn!"

I jumped out of my thoughts and whirled around to see said wizard. "Heather! Don't scare me like that!" I clasped a hand of my racing heart as she jumped up and down excitedly.

"Oh Taryn, Taryn, Taryn! You'll never guess who what happened!"

"What?"

"Guess!"

I sighed looking at my friend and closed my eyes for a few moments. I opened them and stared at her blankly. "You got a castle?"

"Nope!"

"A new spell?"

"Not that!"

"Mount, pet, boyfriend?"

"None of those!"

"Come on Heather. Tell me!" I folded my arms over my chest and let out a "huff".

Heather rolled her eyes but then smiled brightly. She pulled out her spell book and flipped to a specific page. She skimmed the words and then her finger landed on a line. "To the Commons!" she said loudly.

A large cloud of black smoke enveloped her as she was teleported to the commons. I looked at where she had once been standing and started to chant a teleportation spell for myself. Unlike her I didn't need the spell book.

A cold wind of blue mist started to surround me as glowing flakes of snow span around. I could feel my body starting to decompose, particle by particle, and I closed my eyes letting the teleportation take over.

I opened them and saw that I was now in the warm commons. All wizards of different capabilities mingled with one another while I walked searching for Heather.

I walked into the water of the lake. My shoes being covered in dragon scales and leather kept my feet dry from the water surrounding them. I waded towards the fountain and stared at the two stone wizards holding their wands.

I've always thought of myself as the stone girl. With wand raised, waiting for an opponent strong enough to beat me. But in the long wait, I've felt as if I've turn to what she is: mere stone.

"Taryn!"

I looked over at Heather to see her smiling from the Rainbow Bridge. She waved and then pointed to a guy next to her.

I jogged out of the lake and towards the bridge. "I thought you said it wasn't a new boyfriend."

Heather stuck her tongue out at me and then giggled. "No Taryn don't be silly! This is Oran NightCrafter!"

Oran, a man looking about eighteen smiled at me and shook my hand. "Pleasure."

I nodded and smiled awkwardly. "Yeah…nice to meet you too…"

"Oran here said he had something very important for you!"

Oran nodded and then snapped. A small cloud of black mist formed above his hand and a scroll fell from it. He snatched it and opened it up.

"To Taryn MistRiver, daughter of Thomas and Sasha Ledbetter." he began. "It has come to attention at the school of Merlin that you have exceeded all expectations of the Headmaster at your current school. As your Headmaster has informed us, you suffer from extreme heat sensitivity and see a 'light' that guides you throughout your life. Headmaster Ambrose has confessed on not enrolling you or even seeing that you were going to come to this school after you explained that a light had given you your school. This light you have been seeing is known as a 'pox'. These pox are known to guide the wizards of extreme power to their best suited school which they will advance beyond the known in little time. Here at Merlin we believe that you, Taryn MistRiver, are a wizard just like this. We invite you to join the advanced class of wizards in the ice. And enrollment form will be given to you by your messenger" Oran paused and pointed at himself, smiling. "Please submit your final decision as soon as possible. We hope to see a new Chilled Heart at the School of Merlin."

Oran snapped his fingers again and the scroll rolled itself back up and disappeared. "Here you go." Oran handed me a piece of paper. I'm not sure where he got it from…

I stared at the paper blankly, letting all the information that I just heard settle in. So the light I've seen is something called a pox. A pox is apparently something that finds special wizards. Headmaster admitted that he never intended to enroll me because of this "specialty". And now I'm being asked to enroll into…wait. Chilled Heart.

I looked at Heather and then excused her and myself from Oran. I led her a little ways away from him and then pushed her head down so we were in a huddle.

"Who is this guy?" I hissed at my Death friend.

"Oran NightCrafter!"

"I know that!" I said furiously yet quiet. "In case you haven't been listening Heather, this guy is trying to recruit me into some school called Merlin!"

Heathers grey eyes became wide and she sucked in air. "Merlin?"

"Yes Merlin!"

"Taryn! Do you know amazing that is!"

"Um no…"

Heather smacked her forehead and then stood up turning her head around. She was looking for something and when she finally laid eyes on a Myth wizard she darted towards him. They conversed for a little then she dragged the boy towards me.

"Hi." I said flat toned.

"Here! He'll tell you all about the school of Merlin. He's a Myth student so he'll know all about it!"

"How?"

"Merlin is a school that is supposedly a myth." said the boy, annoyed. "It is said that it used to teach the greatest wizards alive. Only people who had guardians of light were admitted into Merlin-"

"Were these 'guardians' called 'pox' by any chance?"

"Actually they were." continued the Myth student. "Pox were said to be drawn to those who had an extreme amount of magic. More magic than twenty wizards combined. These people were insanely powerful." he stopped and smiled. "And that of course was its downfall. After teaching the greatest wizards alive for so long, a student had become mad with the power he held. He started to rebel against the headmaster. He is said to have killed everyone in the school and eventually locked himself away in the school of Merlin where he slowly died. No one has been to the school ever since."

Heather and I stared at him with shock.

"I don't remember that…" said Heather quietly.

"Yup. Well that's all I know." said the Myth student turning around and walking off.

"You still want me to go to this crazed school?" I hissed.

"I know I do."

Heather and I turned around and saw Oran…hovering three feet above the ground.

"How're you doing that?" I asked.

Oran laughed. "This? This is a simple trick that we learn at Merlin. Speaking of the school, you should come."

"No thank you." I said quickly.

Oran frowned, his eyebrows drawn together. "Why not? It's not every day we get a Chilled Heart."

I cringed at the words Chilled Heart. I hated those words. They reminded me too much of the pain filled night that the light, excuse me, 'pox', had chosen my school.

"Please stop calling me a Chilled Heart."

"Why?" Oran turned upside down while stilled floating in the air. "The classes at Merlin are Burning Soul, Static Mind, Chilled Heart, Equal Spirit, Unholy Reaper, Blessed Healer, and Ancient Eyes. By the fact that you're an ice student here, you must be a Chilled Heart."

"I'm not going to be part of your little scam!" I said, suddenly turning cold.

Oran's eyes narrowed dangerously. "It's been over twenty years since the school's been reopened. It's taught the Sprial's most powerful wizards how to excel beyond the mere everyday tricks you are taught. It holds the most intelligent, brave, creative, and astounding wizards of all time and you're just turning it down as if it's a scam!"

Oran finally landed on his feet from his levitating and turned around sharply. "Fine. Stay in this paradise of the weak. You have a day to respond. If you don't you'll never get another letter. Ever."

With that, Oran disappeared leaving me with just Heather and the enrollment paper.

"Taryn…why'd you turn it down?"

I looked at Heather with a hard expression plastered on my face. "I'm not so sure. It's just…all too sudden."

Heather nodded then said she was going to help another one of her friends.

Now I was alone with only the enrollment paper.