35. Growth requires failure…but not Today #3
“What do you mean, since I arrived? This is not fucking okay, Alex.” My breathing becomes sporadic, and I’m not sure if my lungs are fully functioning because panic has a vice-like hold on them. This hurts.
“You’ll receive your answers, but–”
“I know, we have to leave,” I project, cutting him off. *Sigh* “Promise me you’ll stop. Right now, promise me.”
“I can’t.”
“Why the hell not?” I raise my voice octaves above its normal cadence.
“Because your pitch, tone, volume, or however you choose to describe it, is laced with your magic.” He stands, blocking out the newly born sun and shrouding me in his shadow’s cool embrace. “Spells do not work. Commanding my body to object to your voice. Does. Not. Work. Nothing works,” Alex bites.
I retract a step, not out of fear, but because he is telling the truth. Pain laces his words and reveals that he has tried. Has been trying.
“Okay,” I exhale, which finally begins to settle my heart.
“I’m going into that bathroom and changing.
When I return, you and I will leave this conversation here.
Right. Here.” I Point at my floor. “Meaning, the two of us will figure this out. Not alone, together. Neither of us will take what’s been said away from this room.
I can’t focus on my match whilst thinking about–this. ”
Nodding, he relaxes his shoulders, and I do as well.
“Okay, give me your hand,” he says, reaching out and waiting for mine.
Without hesitation, the magic flowing beneath his skin seeps through my pores and dances into my veins.
A touch, unlike before, pulls me closer as he slides our hands beneath his shirt.
My eyes close, taking in the rhythmic pounds in his chest. “Thank you.”
“I needed this also.” With my other hand, I take his, placing it against my own heart, grounding us in a way neither believed was possible.
My aura hums for Alex’s, thrashing with the cadence of his heart. I need to understand him, and he, me. We’ll figure this out later. Pulling away, I feel the tension holding us hostage release its binds, and those swirling galaxies brighten upon letting go. I grin. Yeah, we’ll be fine.
Alex’s sigil fades, dissolving its black, luminous glow. We stand a few feet beyond a thickened piece of solid marble to face whomever my challenger is.
I made quick work of getting dressed. Leather tights fight against the muscles of my thighs and cinch my waist, a breathable material, sturdy, yet stretchable for sudden movements. A slit on the side of each thigh conceals a red, steel dagger in case I’m in dire need .
More leather binds my breasts and stomach in one thick coat of flexible material, enhancing my body’s curves and tucking beneath my tights to appear seamless.
Fitting as a second skin, it is strong enough to defend against an explosion.
There are two more slits on either side of my hips, also holding weapons.
Combat boots are tied around my ankles, and another dagger hides within each, ensuring I’m prepared for whatever arises.
Completing my ensemble, I’ve re-tied my passion twists in yet another halo braid, allowing the piece of magical hair to thread within it.
Red twists over the midnight strands in contrast.
“Your hair resembles a crown.” Alex grins. I’m inclined to like this claim.
“A Queen you say?”
“I never–”
“Too late. You regarded me as a Queen.” Gifting a smirk and side-eye, I tease, “And Queens don’t fail.”
Before we departed my room, he and I had another conversation after he so kindly found my phone tucked under the pillow Blaise was using. I have words for him, next time we meet. Asshole. We discussed my sigil as Angie predicted, but in a hurried rundown of how it manifested.
Alex pointed out our dissimilar attributes.
Mine is a diamond, which from his knowledge of research, entails I have a two-way sigil, amongst other things time didn’t permit us going over.
He also mentioned hearing Yasmine gave me a piece of paper for a book.
The very one pertaining to fears that he invited himself to help me retrieve.
Yet nothing about Raine’s gift. Interesting.
We approach the entrance of where my match will take place, and Alex flicks his wrist. Sending a gathering of dark magic towards the door, a symbol placed at its center draws in his energy. Two swords crossing in front of a shield swallow it, splitting in two as the marble opens inwards.
“Okay, that was cool.” Facing him, I back pedal. “Let me guess, only House Leaders can open the door?” He smiles, and I turn back around, entering a building seemingly made out of a single, pyramid sized block of marble.
The doors shut behind us, and flames of red, green, black, and white stutter alive, panning down an elongated corridor.
“Welcome to the Temple of Absolute,” he says, drawing my attention.
We are underground, though where we spawned would say otherwise. Outside this place is massive. A hollow tunnel brims with natural light. Whatever earth fay, or fays, created it deserves a pat on the back.
Being inside the temple, white marble slabs stretch further than my vision, and our one source of light are these flickering flames.
“You know, I think about the Awakening more often than not,” I say, taking in the warmth of their vibrant colors.
“Are you worried about failing?”
I contemplate his question as I listen to our clamoring steps leading us forward. Two shadows dance on either side. “Failing, no, proving everyone right about me not belonging here, yes.” My voice echoes.
“Why?” he asks, and I hear a subtle grunt follow.
“There are things I must achieve. Things this Academy can offer to help me deliver on a promise.” Cutting my eyes to him once more, I continue, “So yes, despite failure being an option, it can’t be.”
“If you require anything from me–”
“I know and thank you.” I nudge him with my shoulder. It’s rude cutting him off, I’m aware, but this conversation will end in me becoming emotional, and whomever lies ahead, will eat me alive for it.
He returns a genuine smile, continuing our path in silence.
I lose myself in thought with battle strategies taking my mind by force.
He scolded me as I came out of the bathroom, holding my phone along with the material he had given me earlier this week.
Admittedly, I never found time to read it, and Alex felt inclined to point out why such a decision was unwise.
I scolded him back for berating me like a child. Even offered a suggestion for future conversation against doing so, because I’ll return it tenfold.
But of course, come to find out, the information he wanted me to read shares that a genie’s magic holds similarities to creation magic. Something I could have found useful.
“Duh”, is what I told him. He had me upset. Ignoring the attitude Alex found himself receiving, he offered one of many examples that might help me to understand what I’m capable of.
“Manifest your creation internally. Imagine, feel, smell, taste, hear, see, think, and exist as though it’s real. Mortals believe there are five senses, but in reality, there are more. You need to utilize these eight.”
Since this revelation, my mind has been trying to understand, preparing for what lies ahead whilst keeping Angie’s voice at heart. “ Fight like you’re willing to kill.”
Voices trickle back to us. Up ahead, a single door surrounded by a blinding light awaits my entrance, and within its glow, a few figures come into view. Every House Leader stands and waits.