Word count goal: 7k or more
Marella's mouth parted allowing heavy intakes of the oxygen surrounding her, enter her respiratory her lungs with desperate need of air. Whilst rapidly exhaling the used occupation of the oxygen. A continuous respiratory sequence. Withdrawing each breath for the lack of oxygen she her hand forward pressuring it against the arctic border that separated the apprentice from the mentor. Attempting to steady her frail balance against the ice wall.
Diamond beads of sweat trickled down a rain upon her body; murking the crystalline glass; contaminating it with her sudate. Raising her scent among the icy ambience; the saltiness of her labor hung around the atmosphere. Leaving the bitterness assault the nasal pathway. Generating a surge of vertiginous raid into her mental space. Illustrating the false illusion of swirling around at a swift pace around; deceiving her brain. With her parietal lobe conducting a river of neurological shock down to her lower half of her body.
Between the staggering breaths, Marella uttered the issue that brought her here, the answer she has been craving for her malnourished spirit. That had purchased her ounce of interest concerning the reality of agonizing horror manifesting to her life.
The fingers of the free hand she afforded, rearranged the grimly saturated locks of golden-amber hair; distancing the contact of her blue irises. Adverting her icy gaze to the auditory sensation of Fintan's rhythmical steps. Each one daunting, hollowing out in frequent cycles. Dread conquered the sea of nausea. Pining Marella down with unquestionable doubt. An unpleasant feeling washing her emotions.
Resharpening her frosty ice blue gaze to Fintan, juxtaposed to her fiery warmth most associated her with. That glared razor sharp icicles; daggering it to Fintan's dark apparition.
Queries plagued her mind; Sweeping under her skin, itching with anticipation. As she attempted to unveil the memory hidden beneath other colorful charades, limiting her access to answers. Dancing across Marella's memories; teasing her, in a mocking pleasure her mind performed.
Before Fintan spoke, intriguing her hair follicles that stood upon her neck. Stepping into Marella's vision, she was able to view his intricate maze of a tangled mane that hovered above his head framing a ghostly-pale face that screamed of the lack of sunlight given; poorly his boldly intakes the little to none vitamin rings hung underneath Fintan's eyes that were inked of the earth's atmosphere; the same shade of the blue pools hovering above all of society. Sporting poorly conditioned elvin clothing that were tattered. Enough to put Biana to a coma, bed resting for an eternity.
His fingers caressed his chin, gazing at the empty side of the ice dome he resided, that translated to his deep contemplation, with eyes hard as stone.
"The source you ask of?"
The tension between the mentor and the young prodigy clashed against each other. With their auras striking their presence. Invading the premise of the environment. Until Marella hummed in acknowledgment, nodding her head in an up and down motion.
"May I ask why it daunts you very much?" Fintan added with curiosity, coating a layer of his tone. Motioning to his apprentice, taking in the chaotic state she's in. Starting from the troubling panting, to her sweat soaking a majority of her petite figure.
"I don't know, it all started when I got back." Her uncertainty wavered, cracking through the complexity of her emotions.
Fintan hummed, amused by this interaction. Before adding, "this incident isn't affecting your pyrokinesis, is it?"
Those very words spilling out from Fintan's mouth, stung her right to the answer. Attacking her as if she ate a whole lemon, from the way she scrunch up her face, cringing.
"But that's the problem, my pyrokinesis hasn't been the same…" She trailed out. " I was hoping you'd have answers."
"Your case is certainly interesting, Miss Redek. Although I don't specialize in that domain."
The fire pixie caught that gleam, lurking in his eyes as he said that to her. Making Marella wonder if she came here for more than she bargained for.
"I shouldn't have came here." Marella dazed out; uttering something she wasn't aware of, an unconscious decision made by her mind. With Fintan being within earshot; resulted in a crackle, making the pebbles from above shower above them. Though she was silently thankful, Fintan's melodramatics weren't enough to cause the ceiling to fall from beyond.
Alluding to the horrible circumstance she happens to find herself in. Dropping the attention to another subject Marella brought her attention to another matter, making up for their awkward cooperation; that would lead her to nowhere. The mentor now shifted to his silence, his eyes glued right onto her. A pale irises among the crimson red spider veins crawling at his sclera; plaguing his troubles onto his body, displaying the sign with clear evidence. Especially with those mauve rings hanging underneath those ancient oculus.
A vein throbbed along the temporal artery. Discharging a surge of scalding inferno flowing within; causing a further discomfort to Marella's mental capacity. Evaluating the circulatory system; pumping more blood that the heart sent out. Allowing blood to function through her body, well if she wasn't so tense that would be considering the rapid pace the heart rhythmically performed. A gust of wind fled through her lips, an effort to cleanse Marella's jittery state to a serene structure.
Too hyper fixated on attempting a tranquil sensation to notice a brusque hand seizing upon her shoulder; until a hash tremor broke the spell of overthinking. Mystifying her back into reality. Instinctively whirling her head towards the source that shifted her focus. Their arctic met with the harsh lines of the solemn globlin. Engrossing his control onto the steel blade, glittering in the hollow grotto. Subdued the dimness of the shadow, around them.
Aligning the weapon he possessed at an angle to best protect them both; a preparation drill that bore into his mind, throughout the previously young trainee days. A common practice to anticipate ambushes. It was wise to be better safe than sorry.
The glossy button eyes from the goblin surrendered the undertone of pity. A sensibility Marella loathed from her history of living. An unwanted gift she'd always receive no matter the countless times she has rejected it from others. That embarked its thread whenever the pyrokinetic in training was youthful. The day her mother met a terrible fate, unruling the stolen bonds she could've cherished.
Lock away far beyond her control. The squeak of the goblin drew her attention."It would be wise to be home by now."
A flurry of determination she possessed flooded her spirit. Haunting her physique from head to toe. Whipping her refusal straight at the older guardian. Declining his endeavors for her safety. "But I can't… not after?" The pixie trailed off unsure what to finish her statement.
She hasn't appropriately scheduled her arrival meeting with Fintan. For the reason that her pyrokinesis keeps flickering. An undesirable pulsating cycle. That occurred abruptly.
"You've been here long enough." The mysterious goblin reasoned. She couldn't argue with that logic, this arrangement took a hefty amount of pleading to grant her entry to stand inside of Fintan's little ice palace. To waste their time getting nowhere brought frustration to the teenage girl. She wasn't the type to take things for granted, she'd learn that lesson when her mother fractured into pieces. Pieces beyond repair, that can only be yearned for.
Determination flared brightly as a sun, a continuous illuminating ember, never dwelling. Despite her disadvantage, she wasn't going to take it for granted, a fulfillment needed to be done. That the pyrokinetic was going to ensure.
A few hours prior she had seeked out elvin authority, permitting access to visiting someone whom she presumed would have the knowledge regarding her concern. After a time she cannot recall; like pieces of a chain of memories missing a link that connects them collectively. A sequence of events tethered into her mind. That lost portion of a puzzle conjugated in an arrangement; a labyrinth within the brain.
At the start of it all prioring back two weeks ago. Where she stood among her mother staring with the amusement sparking, increasing her eyelids open cavity. Bewilderment atoned within the mother's presence. The air, contaminated with the suffocating silence wavering between the mother and daughter duo. Clammy palms fidgeted with one another, clashing among the sudate.
"Where were you?" A sword that broke through the chain of silence, her tone cracking through concern and misery. Marella felt a bile rising in her throat; contaging the tender soreness across the esophagus. Subconsciously digging her heel of her boot to the ground, declining the balance she had, plunging flat on the patches of the dewy grass. The backbone of her back shrieked in pain at the sudden impact, courtesy of Marella…
Well it would if it had the ability to talk. Figuratively it would.
The daylight scorched straight towards her pair of oculus. Piercing her irises. Compressing her eyelids sealed; reducing the stinging pain caused from the bright celestial object living among the cosmos. Caprise merely stared at her own reflection on the floor not matching her movements. Locking their gazes together. An unbreakable bond of a chain. The sprawled hair on the ground shimmering a golden glint with a touch of an auburn undertone. The hushed movement of her mother's delicate footsteps trailed amid Marella's auditory sensory.
Once the serene paces came to a halt, gentle hands of Caprise fingers extended to her daughter locks a hereditary gift from her. Wrapping a strand of her mane onto the finger twirling it with a mellow rhythm. Before abruptly enveloping a warm embrace, the long talon of Caprise arms cut off the oxygen supply of Marella's respiratory system. Smothering her with motherly devotion.
A soft plea caught the attention of a certain pixie-like girl, "Please don't do that ever again, Asteria." A fresh ripple of bile rose to her throat; a sour sensation explored between the bridge of her windpipe as would an expeditionist wish to settle out in mass lands. A heave fled throughout an open exit of Marella's lips making the sound of a muffled cry. When no words happened to exalt the girl, she mentally wanted to ease the tension to hug the very women who bore her into labor but instead she sat frozen as stiff as a broad. Unsure what to make of the situation, she had rarely witnessed her mother act so raw with unloading emotions, the ones that weren't dictated with chambers of broken shards interiorating with the fractured mind.
The unspoken taunts rang through the daughter's mind screaming, 'I promise this won't happen again,' or 'nothing will happen to me, mom.' But in the end these were just deceitful whispers spoken of the heart. Not of the harsh world she stood amongst. The Caprise replica felt her eyes prick with the refusal of blinking; the motionless eyelids stood still with time. A guilty pang struck her heart with an arrow, causing anguish. She hadn't found her voice under the tender moment she happened to be in. Well until a voice croaked out, "I'm sorry."
A simple apology yet so universally impactful. The connotations shading in her tone was pigmented with such sincerity. The frankness discharging from her utter expression brought a kiss to the forehead. The embrace now hung loose around Marella, hiccuping a breath, since she was free of the suffocating love from her mother that displayed devotion.
Caprise reeled her body back, allowing her daughter to catch up to the moments of reality. She was aware of the foreign demonstration of attention her daughter had. That didn't mean she didn't love her own blood, standing in front of her. With the incident she found herself the victim in involving her having a broken mind as an aftermath. Usually it was her little Star who took up the responsibility of being her caretaker. The incident that changed her life as well. Despite the emotional unrestrained thoughts flooded through her mind. Her spirit would cry in the dark abyss to her core. Aware of the fact she didn't have full control over her body alarmed the mother. All the power she possessed was to watch, she didn't have enough authority over the management of her body.
"Shouldn't we be inside, dear?" The question had a touch of indication to the soft demand. Nodding her head towards the Fluttermount estate, gesturing to hide underneath the shelter of their residence. Rising upwards her body loomed over her daughter's huddled frame. Still paralyzed.
"Ella, dear."
Slowly imitating her mom's movement. Hiking towards her beacon of hope, that being her mother who bore her. Trailing the pavement that leads to the entryway to their home. The woman standing before her, out stretching the stem of the limb; grasping the hold on the door handle. Intruding the glass marble flooring. Small ticking followed their shadows. Echoing out to their company.
Clearing their way towards the cookhouse. Caprise advised Marella to take a seat in the middle of the dining table. Obeying her words, she reluctantly did so; seizing the hold of the energy sending waves of the mental push (Sophie had taught her). Hopping almost elegantly on the lavish wooden table; musing a fragment of kaleidoscope gleam.
Caprise clashed her middle finger and thumb against each other, conjuring healing elixirs into their visibility. Levitating them still; as if they were stuck within time. "Show me where it hurts, Star." The simple question striking more of a gentle demand. Marella raised her index finger pointing directly at her temples. An amused hummed facilitator within Marella's eardrum; almost characterized ariose-like. A melodious tune. Nearly neglecting the lack of euphony, the craving to hear her mother humm or sing again was a desire.
The mournful remembrance of Caprise singing dedicated to her daughter. Something that will always reside within her heart. The pure essence of passion. Familial love was different in the Redek household. Everyone had a role, Durand took up the breadwinner duty providing for the family, though lacking the essence of his parental-child bond. Marella herself stepped into the caretaker role, providing the care for her mother since she couldn't do the caring that much with her fractured mind.
Hovering the 'Twilight purifier' elixir assisting it to her Star, Marella caught the purple glass stained over her fingers, wrapping it in her little embrace, tipping the medicinal remedy fluid; slithering a cool sensation upon her oral compartment. Gulping the fluid. The frigid touch sent nerves of chills expanding over to her body. Wincing at the arctic blast her internal body performed. Her mother, Caprise creased her blonde brows in unison. Almost touching their counterpart. Who in question took notice of her distressed daughter. Swiftly bewitching a pair of blurry blankets. Whose sensory will go off at the pleasant fuzziness the blanket granted.
Placing the thick layer of the covering atop of Marella, letting the sheets generate a tender warmth. Loading up with comfort. Before recycling the question she had previously thrown at her, "where were you, Marella?"
The young pyrokinetic in training brain seemed alarmed by this matter. This seemed to trigger a sequence of flashes upon Marella's memories. She remembers the colorful picturesque flames she carried on a torch. That burned psychedelically in a flowery manner in a very specific series to the stain glass that artistically illustrated a creative work. Telling a story without words.
"I don't remember much." Answering honestly; frank to her core. She'd known she had gone somewhere but didn't know where. The location seemed unfamiliar, nevertheless seemed a strange self-contradary statement her brain made up.
"Just…be careful next time, if you ever pull something like that again." She chastises in a stern yet benevolent manner. Gliding her finger along her mini matching replica hair; sprawling in different directions.
"I know." The shame crept through the cracks of her tone.
"Why don't we get you cleaned up, your wounds have been tended already? Plus the bedtime is arriving." Caprise index finger arrowed straight at the lucid glass aperture that the last rays of sunlight were cutting in. Marella followed her gaze to her mother's attention. Witnessing the blending of the orange hue to the vibrant red combination creates an ombre effect. Truly a sight to behold. Transitioning day to night; a sign of transformation to overcome.
Kicking her feet off of the wooden table; hopping off into balance. Adjusting the posture to aid the backbone. She set herself to stride the corridors that led to her room. Heels clicking onto the shiny marble floor, in a familiar pattern. Crystal glass lighting chandelier, emitting vibrant multicolored beams. Gold lining hugging the pillars walls. Soon coming to a halt once she is met with a usual doorway that leads to her bedroom. A diaphanous curved vertical structure arch decorated onto the entryway. Accompanied with azure and silver diamond teardrops tied among the green wire like vines wrapping themselves to anything in its pathway.
Enveloping her hands to the doorknob; shifting clockwise. Retrieving her body to enter her place of solitude; a place to collect her thoughts, charged with the aroma of the sweet tranquil daydreams. A floral flower exclusively resides in the Lost Cities. Williarum lily. In contrast to the common one where they also encounter in the Forbidden Cities, this lily luminesce a blue ethereal glow, adding to the unique scent this floraling blossom brings.
Savoring the inhale, the sweetness brought to her nasal pathway. Pulling on her wardrobe handle towards her, she'd chosen the nightgown. A soft silk periwinkle with a touch of lilac blossoms sprinkles onto it. Nothing too flashy, just right for her comfort. Amplifying where her legs reach to her destination. Almost expeditiously clasping onto the natural glass handle, swiftly slamming it into its proper location. Mechanic gears working to lock it in place. Securing a sense of privacy behind closed doors. Seizing a hold on the fixating holdfast, sliding the zipper that skims through the small lines angling for a free hold. Springing her foot onto the air. Bolting the elvin boot out as a meteor strike shooting across the atmosphere. The bare bottom of the body pressed the stony glossy marble. Raiding an electric chill over her spinal cord. Before unwarping the bundle of clothing encased within her frame. The sound of water immensely trickled into the drainage. A rainfall upon the showering case, splatter microscopic tears in various directions. Soft vapor of steam fogged up the bathroom, blurring the mirror in the process. Eventually stepping into the artificial rainstorm; drenching the reddish-golden lock above her scalp, trailing along the stream of the lake. She applied pressure onto the ivory hair cleanser pump; dispensing the lavender goopy substance following up with massaging the product with her two hands. Simmering bubbles to laver into her hair. Working her fingers in the scalp in a repetitive cycle, digging the nails gently to the plate of her head. Washing away the impurities that may have contributed to the grimy labor associating herself with the Black Swan.
A relief of satisfaction rugged through her lip encasing the vent of struggle that goes along with assisting Sophie. Not that she regretted helping her. The answer was far from that. Putting her presence aiding someone through hardship was something she was experienced in. She just wasn't fond of the abandonment of Sophie choosing the noble Vackers. Though that could be a matter of bias. She always yearned for such privilege to be almost considered a princess. But that's already taken due to Biana. A title rightfully inherited by being born into the noble house of Vackers.
Shaking her head; halting her musing to a stop. Resuming back to her shower routine. Now that the shampoo cleanser washed itself from the artificial rain. She marinated the locks upon her scalp in the conditioner. While she was waiting for her hair to be soaked in softening treatment, she decided to cleanse her body.
Once her body was polished from the impurities she'd slip onto the nightwear she had previously planned before her shower. Heading straight to her sleeping location. Where she recharges her vitality. Sinking into that snuggly warmth of that duvet. Drowning in the abyss murkiness of her thoughts. There she was whisked away in her dream.
Days after that "reunion," the uncanny symptoms began to flicker her ability off and on. Reoccurring dreams residing in her mind's eye. Plaguing her mind with inquisitiveness. Dreams are often said to be false memory mental images of representing one's emotional state or mental state.
Or just a fabrication of your own desires.
Dreams are a rather strange topic there like codes that feel impossible to decipher with cryptic meaning behind it. A riddle underneath the words of parables. Like a fog of steam lifting from above the true essence of the flavorful coated tea. Herbs marking the finishing product. Masking the true meaning of the answer. And yet there were eerie whispers through the illusions of sleeping. So when she awoke she wouldn't be frightened by the endeavors her mind presented right before her "eye." But rather weirded out to her core, mentally shaking the weirdness away.
Above all else she tried to regain her focus on pursuing her education at Foxfire, well thats what her parents had told her. Mainly her mother in comparison to her father who mumbled it once and fled off to whatever he had expected himself for. Butneather or less she braced herself of endless lectures of utter nonsense. Which until an idea that kept pestering her, that manifested into her reality was to (spoil alert) skip class or the majority of the school day hanging out.
Stepping foot outside of the perimeter within her elvin history. Much to her relief the utter boredom possessed her body exalted outwards. Probably looking for another student to victimize as their host. An academic burden weighted off; that straddled onto her back. That filled the temporary pleasure of reassurance. A mirage of the self sanctuary she built for herself. Self imaginary crystal wall of solitary warmth.
Calculated trails of footsteps pacing at a continual rhythm. Each one slow and careful, not wanting to alert any staff residing in Foxfire or students for that matter. Once in the past she had gotten too careless skipping class. Unsurprisingly a pair of seafoam eyes caught the young trainee wandering the school halls. The next thing she found herself in Magnate Leto's office. His gaze spoke of, you should know better by now. The tired old ancient dismissed her, giving a short-ish lecture of how the presentation of Foxfire deserves a leading depiction. Though it appeared he had wanted to say something more that correlated to pity. The steely eyes she'd glimpse at the headmaster said otherwise.
Recasting her focal point to what's ahead of her; single silhouette. She watched as the shadow loomed closer to her, opening a closure of the temporary pleasure she had now fading away.
Honestly, how troublesome…
Or was it the dark and mysterious brooding, Tam? Time will only tell. Until that figure in the question will only be at reach to point at her direction. Silently clinging onto that thread of hope, that was frayed from all other times she'd wish upon a star. Hoping that she'll at least get something on her terms and conditions. Her nerves came to a steady rhythmical beat once she saw she heard a familiar complaint from someone in whom she might know. Which stopped dead in her tracks only to feel a bump. The force sent her colliding against the Foxfire's crystalline walls. The architectural prism was sturdy with such precise detail.
The impact hit a spiral of colorful electrifying affliction to her back. Poor back it can never catch a break. Before the "invisible" force mumbled something along the lines of,'sorry.' Did Dex newly manifested a new ability? Did it actually manifest itself into reality, his wish? She recalled from her earlier memories with him that whine about being a technopath. How it wasn't cool or special enough for his eyes. But later embraced his heritage line of technopathy.
Reaching forward, hands clasp onto the air swinging across the atmosphere. Sensory overloading her spiral finger tips. If she could guess what she touched it would be something velvety perhaps? Curling her hands so that she would have a gasp on what was invisible and slicing the air at a swift pace.
"Should've known something like that would've happened." A grumbled source that arrowed right in front of her. Coming from a strawberry blonde. Averting his eyes elsewhere, ashamed at his actions. Sheepishly outstretched an arm out for the fallen pixie.
"I'm really sorry." He mumbled for the second time.
"Why couldn't I see you?" Were the words that tumbled out of her mouth unfiltered. Was she so focused on the silent attempt of her shoes making as little noise as possible that her brain disregarded the fact Dex was near. The strawberry head boy motionlessly observed how her eyes were growing cloudy amidst the fog distancing itself from reality with every second. Probably thinking about their strange encounter.
"Obscurer."
She should've figured, after all he is a part of the noble team Valiant that the Councillors had set up for them. While being a talented technopath working alongside the Black Swan. "Oh," her mouth departed with the poison of disappointment. Dex swings his head on either side of the axis rotation of the earth. Whilst prompting her with, "why are you here, Marella?"
A twig of empathy stoned her heart with a sharp pang. Jabbing it with microneedles syncing the pain altogether. As if it were a tsunami that swept through the crevasse to her core. She knew that question had another meaning underneath that prompt. You'd just have to recoded it into, 'are you okay?' Bearing the mind of distancing demeanor captivating Marella's need for avoidance. She knew that she would eventually face this matter. Confronting her problems. Familial issues at that. It's a topic she'd wanted locked away in her mind. Within the confidence of her mental cage. Not even her close friends knew the juxtaposition of her. The flipped coin of her life, the one that is fraying away due to the lack of perseverance. Granting rustic metal scouting abroad.
Not only that she never really subjected her personal issues to those she sits among. Although Linh is the calm and reserved one. Her demeanor shifted holding a grudge to the ex-Neverseen member. In contrast to Marella how quickly dismantled the matter if Rayni infamously known as Glimmer with her time with the organization. After problems after problems of hers made itself present in her life. Interfering the productivity of her existence. Stina despite the tough one with a soft heart she wasn't sure how to approach her problems with her. And more to add on. It felt wrong to desire emotional support when she's been the one aiding her mother's emotions. There were strings pulling her together from disclosing the archives of the other side's rustic metal. Woven dam sealed to block the spilling river.
Pairs of periwinkle eyes perceive the scrutinized illustration drawn among her features. Brows harmonizing to the bridges they almost formed. Eyes seeing the past visions upon visions awakened her reality. Fingers hastily spiraled the locks of hair. Swirling like a tornado. Hypothesizing the burdens writtens on her face. Dex took the cue to advert their attention, proposing Marella with company, "why don't you go with me to Magnate Leto's office?"
"I don't think I should go."
"But I insist." Rebutted the strawberry boy. Holding out his arms to Marella, an open invitation. Though she reluctantly took it, accepting the deal. Locking his fingers to the wrist of her arms. Grasping for security.
Dex's usual timid demeanor shifted to an assurance. Leaving a firm squeeze. Marella averted her eyes onto him, giving a questioning glance. That read, what was that for? But got ignored by the unspoken question. Beginning to feel the pull of the boy who was slightly ahead of her. Dragging her into oblivion, that being somewheres towards the headmasters office. The bubble of confusion made itself known as she questioned before thinking, "are you actually going to turn me in?"
A crackle shot down his spine like a lightning striking the source of metal. A path of electric waves of laughter traveling to the ears of Marella's. Staggering the blonde girl's shame that erupted across her body. "What's so funny?" Interrogating the pyrokinetic, the accusation shot right at her companion.
The giggling fits came to an end once Dex pulled himself composed, turning his head right at her. Gazing his attention upon her, "umm, nothing. It's that you seem tense. I'm sure a walk could relieve something well at least momentarily."
Now resuming on their walk-filled silence with the exception of the heels of their foot hitting against the polished pristine floor. Thanks to the obscurer the sound and sight wasn't much of an issue. Mostly silent if it wasn't for the thrumming heartbeat of hers echoing against her ribcage. She really made it known that she wanted to be alone, as if the tense posture hadn't already made itself presentable. And the unspoken plea, her eyes shouted at Dex to just leave her alone. But in the end she didn't seem to preserve enough energy to protest against Dex's soft persistence persuasion. So she surrendered to his firm ground. Letting herself flow with the current tides of the streaming water. Because it's rather foolish to go against the tides. One that has such an influence wash over you. One that you have no control over.
The over-scrutinized thought that drove her mind up eventually ceased once she noticed Dex's pace slowly and abruptly stopped. With their presence being a few feet away from the grand door that would've led them to Magnate Leto's office. Thankfully Dex hadn't planned on taking her there. Making sure they were at a somewhat of a great distance from the door, so nobody would suspect the now missing perriwinkle boy. Marella caught on the doing of the technopathy that being the distance he left for himself to that office.
Nonetheless he left for the grand inconvenience of trouble itself, there's no drop of doubt if they would've found her presence she alongside Dex would probably face the troublesome actions. As she wasn't supposed to be there…no here.
"Take care," expressed the technopath standing in front of her, shooting a quick grin as a sign of encouragement. Shifting his hands to hers granting her with the obscurer between her palms. Trailing his fingers against the palms when he left the reach of the illusion provided by such technological innovation. Watching him taking his cue to leave she crept closer than she would've liked to admit.
Now stalking closer to her desired location, like a predator to their prey, shadow looming under light. She took her eyes among the open door that allowed a split millisecond of the bare office to the corridor in which she stood among. Watching as she hastily dragged her eyes that were in charge of her visibility. That sends messages to her brain. Which caught the sight of the Team Valiant and the members of the Elvin Councillors. The one who stood out to her was notorious for his genuine grim demeanor. With his cropped jet black hair, that appeared more like peach-fuzz that sprouted on his head. Stoic grey eyes. Councillor Bronte…
Ice met with the storm of the cloud that lay within a thunderstorm. It was almost as if he'd seen her? Had he? Maybe not.
Marella's chest rose in and out, a breathing ritual Sophie had taught her about living within human society. Attempting to fill her nervous system with the brain mainly in charge of sending the determination of threats that spiraled through her body. The heavy breathing did not come to a halt unfortunately for her although she finds herself nervous at the doors of the Grinch of the Elven World. Councillor Bronte. A little prior she had left contact with the royal king of the Lost Cities. But she trusts the colors of her future, as the past defines what would be far in the future. She doesn't want to ruin an opportunity. Not yet at least.
Curling her fist in makeshift petals, covering the anther of her fingers. As what a flower would do. Now subtly calling attention onto her, with her knuckles softly yet soundly brushed against the Councillor's grand castle. That resided the grumpiest one of the bunch, Bronte.
The tall threshold loomed over her figure, opened with the access of entering inside the perimeters of the noble house. Letting the light from within glinting at her, teasing her goal as of now. The frame of a stern man stood before her, a grimace plastered onto his face.
"You may enter." His voice powered with authority over her. Marella's legs took control of a connection through her subconscious part of her brain. The side of her frontal lobe screamed to just maybe get out, but as previously said. But she isn't going to waste an opportunity, the cost would be too high for her to pay off the debt.
"You better have your reasons, you adolescent girl." His eyes, sharper than razor. A cold platinum steel slash right through her as if he were a telepath, reading the very mind of hers. "Could I see Fintan?" She reasoned, however it was how she worded the statement made her cringe. Straight to the point. The tense atmosphere hung over the two. Electric hostility held her at chokehold. Too afraid to let her mouth do the talking she remained quiet as a vanisher could get. So quiet indeed that the nearby trickle of river can be heard flowing in the current. An influence of earth bending the will of nature can be heard through the walls.
Before she broke the thin thread of silence hanging above them. "My ability keeps flickering!" She announced to the Councillor. Blurting her concern. With the turmoil of emotions associated with worry and a tad bit of vulnerability connoting her voice infecting it.
A dreadful sigh exalted from the lips of Bronte. "By what meaning is 'flickering?' " Interrogated the higher authority.
An act not noticed by the young pyrokinetic as she twiddled with her hair a subconscious decision. "Umm, things have been very weird for me to say the very least." Lacking the proper words for the discussion.
"Very, well." Stated the man. "Come now."
And with that Marella trailed his steps, pushing forward her legs to meet his desired location. The melody of click and clack, like the rhythm of a heartbeat, lub-dub. Twisting and turning from one corridor to another. The sockets of her eyes began to explore the boards of the hallway. A golden build of elegant twirls overlapped to a perfected degree. Circulating a border within the frame of a portrait proceeded to entice her. There stood two men, one younger than the other. A boy seemingly around the ages of 19-22. However being among the race of Elven society she knows better than to estimate their age to their looks, though this younger lad doesn't seem to have grown pointy ears. Not yet at least. And another one who was older had wispy blonde hair well groomed sported above his head. Looking a bit smug with that cocky smirk that reminded her of Keefe before everything was stolen.
Marella's mind took a toll on the reminiscing memories she and Keefe would tease the Black Swan's most elated creation, Sophie Foster. Her heart almost leaped at the thought, things were simpler a few years ago.
But what can she say things do change…and that she knows from a young age.
"Marella." A voice ordered to her attention, peering her eyes to the now subject with cropped hair. Eyes cold and hard stared down at her, with a drop of concern in his laced vision. Or was it something she thought she had caught on?
The young pyrokinetic may have known if it wasn't the many facades Bronte likes to layer on himself. To his stoic demeanor, wavering between them. A bit of curiosity would've been made cold through his voice. "Do you know when this occurred?"
"I don't remember."
He curled the wrapped finger onto her shoulder as an act of comfort. Something lingered in behavior like something he wanted to say, but chose to stay silent. "I may have something that may link to that…" he trailed off, wondering at what pace should he say and what not to verbally communicate regarding the issue.
"Have your emotions been intact?"
"Yes." Answered the girl standing.
"Hmph, good."
The blonde in question hadn't realized that she was standing still, staring at the false portrait of the two men. Until Bronte redirected her gaze elsewhere. Upon tracing out of the trance Marella noticed something rather distinctive. The frame of the double males couldn't be seen like they vanished out of reality.
Almost like they weren't even there to begin with, this having Marella second guessing herself. But isn't it dangerous to play with insight, she recalled Edaline Ruewen quoting something along the lines of that. Did Bronte replace it? Did I imagine this story of two men standing amongst the framed portrait? The more she pondered on the idea the more disoriented she felt. The sanity bearing her very mind was not cooperating? Was she officially going insane?
"Are you aware of the potential consequences you may face?" The warning cut sharp through her mind.
"Why, yes, wasn't it the Councillor choice to train with a crim–"
"By what foolishness is splattered on that mouth of yours?"
Marella was taken back, furrowing her brows, tightening her jaw. What does Bronte mean, by heavens the Councillors and the Blackswan had placed her with Fintan, believing it would be a wise choice. Given her untrained pyrokinesis, they didn't want to follow up the past repeating itself in history. She didn't want to become another pawn as Brant's role would be.
A surge of perplexity infected the core of her memory, spiking it with uncertainty. That ran to her brain through the shivering spinal cord of hers, resting in her body.
Bronte's demeanor fled the atmosphere, resting a frigid taste in the air. "Now, this bargain isn't to be placed lightly, Marella. Do you know the potential unfortunate outcome if things weren't going as you anticipated?"
"Yes." She grappled out an annoyance throttling in the poison irritation for she felt like she repeated for the millionth time as of now.
Bronte leaned forward to the young girl, his voice calm yet edged with a tang of curiosity, "you've been struggling with your flames, you say? Strange…such instability isn't known around. Quite foreign really. Are you sure this isn't due to external interference?"
Marella, even more confused than previously, reluctantly said, "I don't know what you mean by that…"
A faint smirk etched onto the Councillor's face, "I believe you do Miss Redek, considering that Fintan by no matter what, means is the worth. The heightened fragmented teacher, an individual who is deliberately known for taking rather than giving. Are you sure to the maximum about this, Miss Redek?"
His question underlying doubt put Marella to the edge. Unease wasn't the exact words she would be going for. She wondered whether or not this has to do with Fintan's influence upon her. Especially given the fact that he is quite poetic with his words. That makes you second guess yourself to your own understanding.
Without realizing they had been pacing towards his dutiful office chambers Bronte stopped with his legs before saying, "You may have the access to you, if anyone may interfere with your business say that I've granted you a pass."
" I trust your visit should be that difficult, Miss Redek. As you're in good hands."
Marella nodded, eternally thankful for Bronte's unexpected assistance, an ally she needed as of now. As she reached for the silver key that hung with an onyx pendant.
A sharp gasp released from her mouth as she tried to steadied her balance. Dammit it's happening again… The vision that carried to her sense of sight, seemed to falter. Then her body seemed to shut down. Before she collapses Marella could've sworn she saw a ting of emotion in Fintan's emotion she can't decipher, pretty ironic that she prides herself in differing emotions from others around and using it against them. Especially to obtain drama for her own self entertainment may the tables turn on her.
The cold hard rocky pavement met with Marella's head, the freezing and fiery warmth mixed to her neurons shooting from the pain receptors down the spinal cord. Her brain sends pain signals to Marella, warning her. The black shadowy blur crept up to the outer corners of her vision meeting to the center. Her vision slowly succumbed into the deep abyss, wandering into the unknown, breaching an unfamiliar territory.
Despite her vision cutting off and her body limping sprawled out in the cold hard floor of the cave, she could still hear the goblin tone of sincerity dipped in concernment. Bronte's authorial calling over to Fintan interrogating what he had done to her. Fintan hasn't done anything as a matter of fact or not that she knows. Before she fully delved into the dark slumber. Her body was aware of the pain bruising that were spotting patches among her body. The daring ache discomforted her. Ears rang in choirs of bands drumming against her eardrum, synced in harmony. Colors made their way known to Marella creating a scenery under her eyelids.
Bits and flashes of artistically stained glass, showing an illustrious art. Familiar faces disordered, though she did capture a pair of unusual brown eyes and ice blue ones. The world around her splintered like glass, sharps of color to each significance piercing through the light reflecting elsewhere. She didn't know where she was at so the first thing instinctively that she thought of was to reach her hand forward. Trying to hold onto the missing prism. A crystal that stood levitating a glowing aura wrapped around the gem like a cocoon. Solidifying the power sparkling like rain glittering in every direction.
A voice low and melancholy, as if it was mourning a death, "Asteria." A faint whisper weaving her thoughts unanswered. Then her vision shattered, Bronte's loud voice echoed, "get her to a medic!"
The next thing she felt was a blazing mixture of hot and coldness clashing. Her body temperature skyrocketed, yet the icy hands of the goblin juxtaposed with that.