Chapter 9: Chapter 8
Axion's P.O.V.
My voice echoes loudly through the room and no doubt through the castle too. I back up in shock as I look at my reflection in the mirror, my back hitting the bathroom wall. I shake my head, not believing it. My hair is BLUE and PURPLE! And my eyes! They're the same colors as my hair! "Did the shampoo do this to my hair?" I question myself frantically. It didn't say it was a dye on the bottle.
I turn my head to better look at my insanely colored hair. It is longer than it was before, falling down to the bottom of my back. At the top around the roots it's purple and as it goes down it turns into a darker blue until it ombrés into an icy blue at the end. It is a beautifully perfect ombré, but that doesn't stop me from being shocked. My eyes are the same as my hair. Icy blue on the outer rings of my eyes and then it shades into purple near my pupil. How can my eyes change color, no dye can do that. So what caused this?
As I look closer in the mirror I notice my skin is smoother, in a way. It's paler with a healthy rosy tint to it. Any blemishes I had before are gone. The mark still stuns me and how it suddenly changed. Something is not right about all of this. This doesn't just happen to someone.
"Axion? Are you alright?" the Elder's voice startles me from my shock.
I quickly grab for the fresh pair of black slacks and simple purple shirt that my mother left for me. "Yes, sorry," I say as I finish dressing. I open the door and raise my voice almost hysterically, "But could you explain this?!"
He's not dressed in his purple robe anymore. Instead he has a black dress shirt and pants with a royal purple vest. The buttons made of gold which is probably real. He shaved most of the sides of his beard and sideburns so he has just a patch of long gray hair on his chin. He has it pulled into a ponytail at the top. He has on thin, round glasses that are slightly tinted lilac. The frames are made of a gold wire. The sandals he usually never takes off are replaced with shiny black dress shoes. "Ah, yes. I'm sure you have much to ask. Please accompany me to my study and I can explain as we walk."
He gestures towards the open door with a polite smile.
"Alright," I say with a nod.
I step through and he follows, closing the door to the room behind him.
At first I don't say anything, I don't know if it is because I am at a loss for words or if I am scared. Not of the Elder but more of what he'll say. Since the first time I took an interest in finding out what my mark meant I'd been ecstatic every time my birthday came around, hoping he would tell me, and now that I am here, following silently behind the Elder I am anxious to know.
The halls are ghostly around us. The wallpaper is dark purple and the trim is a like a burnt brown. The lanterns that line the hallways are each covered in dust making the yellow light seem dim. Our shoes scraping across the cobblestone floor is the only sound besides our voices.
"There is going to be a lot to explain, Axion. Do you think you'll be able to take it all in?" his expression while asking was almost apologetic, his voice sounded honest and sincere.
"Yes," I reply. I know I'm ready, or at least I hope I am. I have no idea what to expect though.
"Alright then," he says. "Where to begin? Hmm....." He stops for a moment and closes his eyes. Moments later he opens them and continues walking. "Your mark was given to you by God. You and five others were chosen at your births to receive these marks. Upon your 18th birthdays each person will have the ability to use magic gifted to them. You're abilities will grow and over time you will develop more powers. Each unique to your personality."
I stop in my tracks as I process his words. He continues to walk a small ways before noticing. My mouth opens and then closes as questions start popping up in my head simultaneously. Can I really use magic? There are other like me? God is real? Inside me are an amalgam of emotions. Excitement, panic, shock, intrigue. My heart is racing in my chest.
"Are you alright?" Elder Ryo asks.
As I'm about to answer him another question pops into my head causing every other thought to stop. Something in me didn't feel right when I kept thinking about it. "Why? Why was I given magic abilities?"
"Because you have a destiny to save the Realms. You and the others are the Guardians, hand chosen by God to be the inheritors of his power. The magic he has given you is unlike the magic we know here. It is a hundred times stronger. With training you will be able to control it and use it to fight the evil that will threaten us."
"Wait, wait, wait....I'm gonna fight.....and use magic and ...evil," I sputtered out. My mind was in a million directions. I stared at the Elder who was completely calm.
I wanted to ask more questions. I had so many, but the floor beneath us began to shake. It became hard to stand at one point but then it stopped almost as quickly as it began.
"It seems your questions will have to wait. We need to get moving. I'm afraid this storm is getting worse. Come, we don't have time." The Elder grabbed my hand and started walking briskly.
I stayed close behind him until he abruptly stops at a door, almost causing me to run into him. He opens it and lets go of my hand. He immediately starts grabbing things, almost frantically. A large leather bag, papers, books, notebooks, weird items I'd never seen before, and a pretty looking rock.
" Can you grab that black satchel hanging up for me?" He asks, pointing to the wall to my left. "I'm afraid we're gonna have to cut our talk short before we can't get out. The castle is gonna collapse."
Rick appears in the doorway panting heavily. "I got everyone out in time, but we need to leave now."
"Yes, I know. Take this and get Axion out of here. Take through the back of the castle and-"
Rick cuts him off, "No, I am not leaving you here. It is my sworn duty to keep you safe and the last thing I'm gonna do is abandon my master."
The Elder smiles and closes his eyes, "Rick you have been my apprentice for almost your whole life. You have learned everything there is to learn. It's time you start your own journey. We've gone over this, now GO."
"But-" Rick tries so argue but he is quickly silenced.
"NOW, Rick," the Elder says more sternly.
Rick clenches his teeth before finally giving in. He grabs the bag and walks up to the Elder. "Fine, but if you die on me before you teach me some forbidden magic I won't forgive you."
His words make the Elder laugh deeply, bringing a tear to his eye. "Yes, Rick, you don't have to worry. Now go. Take Axion to the town south of here named Einwald. There you'll find everything you'll need to start your journey. I left it with the innkeeper there, he and I go way back. Just tell him I sent you." Then he turns to me, with a warm smile. "It was nice talking to you Axion. We will talk again soon. You can trust Rick. He will keep you safe. That bag is for you. Take a look through it when you're out of danger."
I nod, not knowing what else to say. I slip it over my head so it hangs at my side, across my chest.
"Come on, let's get moving Axion. The next tremor could happen at any time, and we have a ways to go," Rick says so me and turns to head out the door.
"Okay," I say. Inside my head, I'm still shook up. So many thoughts and questions, but now is not the time. I need to follow Rick and listen to what he says right now. We can talk later.
Just as we leave the room another wave of tremors shakes the floor and I stumble a bit. I brace myself against the wall till it stops. We continue down the hallway to a long set of stairs leading down into what seems to be a wine cellar. Barrels are stacked up in one corner while the other has crates. One is open and full of loads of bread, cheese, fruit, and round metal flasks.
"Here, grab some food and wrap it in this. You'll need it. And the flasks are full of water, not wine. We keep them for emergencies," he hands me a large cloth while he grabs food of his own and a couple flasks.
I follow his lead and then place it in my satchel along with a couple flasks of my own. I don't know how long it'll take to get to the next town, which was a daunting thought. I'd never travelled before.
"Alright, I don't know what it's like out there so follow close behind me. We should get to the town by nightfall. It's not that far," Rick tells me as he rolls a barrel away from the wall to reveal a small crawl space. He snaps his fingers and a small blue light appears above his index finger. It goes to hover around his head and follows as he moves. "This is a secret way out of the castle. It will take us to the forest behind where we can follow the trail to the main travelling path not far from the castle. From there we'll follow the road and then we should reach Einwald if all goes well. When we get there I'll answer your questions, is that okay?"
"Yes, I can keep up," which was the truth because since I woke up I've felt more energized. Whatever the mark had done to me, seemed to be proving not so bad.
I follow him into the crawl space and keep my head low. After a bit I see the opening. When we get to the end we are met with tall pines trees and maples. The sky is still dark. The swirling storm still looming above. It was quiet for the most part. I get up and brush myself off before continuing to follow Rick. I stay quiet behind him as we walk for a while.
While we walk I examine my mark. I'd never admired it before now. It's color and pattern had changed and grown. Before it was just black but now the tips ombre into the icy sky blue that my eyes and hair share.
Blue happens to be my favorite color, which could be coincidence. I at first was scared of the change after seeing myself in the mirror, but I'm still me and change can sometimes be good. I shouldn't be afraid of my mark. It's supposed to help me, not curse me, even though thats what it felt like my whole life. Something that made me different and strange. Ruining any chances I had at having friends. Now I learn what it really means and I find it hard to not see it that way still.
We walk for a few hours before coming to a well worn down road. One direction leads toward the castle and then past it and the other leads away, toward what's supposed to be Einwald.
"We're almost there, do you wanna take a break first?" Rick asks.
I shake my head, "Let's keep going."
"Alright, but let me know if we need to stop."
With that we start walking down the road. The castle is far behind us now.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone