The Awakening

"Next, Ale avenue" she said, and pressed firmly against the accelerator of the scooter she rode, and off it went. She struggled to look at the tag on the delivery box fitted tightly behind her, that had the residence's number of which she is to make her final delivery.

The wind blowing hard against her face as she sped off forcefully drew tears from her eye. She slowed down, and turned backward, gently rubbing the box in search of the tag; she got it, brought it forward to have a better look.

"Thirty -" She barely had a better look, when the wind drew the piece of paper out of her hand

"Its Thirty...uh...Thirty Eight, I'm certain of it" she nodded and rode off.

She came to a stop in front of a building, it was barely lighted inside -most of the lights were turned off.

"Thirty eight Ale Avenue" She looked at the boldly written number, inscribed on a column that held together a piece of the gate. The gate seemed open.

"Someone's home!" She sighed in relieve, as she journeyed through the lawn toward the front door. There was something eerie about the building, but she wasn't getting paid enough to worry about things like that.

"Hello! anyone home?" She called out while her thumb pressed against the bulging button of the door bell. Ding dong It sounded, but no one answered. She hit it on and on, but no one answered. Frustrated, she dropped the box on the porch, and started picking her way towards the gate, but guilt couldn't let her take anymore step. She ran back, picked up the package, looked up into the starry sky, staring at the moon in its fullness.

"Hope I ain't making a mistake" she prayed before heaving a sigh, and decided to turn the door's knob. She got in, dropped it on the table, and turned to leave. There, she heard a squeak, coming from another portion of the house.

"Anyone here?" she said, as she walked toward the direction the sound came from. She got to a door that seemed to lead into a basement. She heard more of a rattling sound, and this time she had her ear against the door, trying to be sure the sound was from the room behind it.

"Young lady, this is trespassing" She said to herself, but curiosity drew her hands closer to the handle of the door. It was locked, but another forceful jab flanged the door open towards her.

The Basement was dark, and shadowy too, all she could hear was heavy breathing, but couldn't quite make out what it was.

"Is anyone hurt? Can you hear me?"

She froze, when she realised the rattling sounds she heard were chains dragging across the floor. "Creepy! who chains their dog in a basement?" she thought.

It was dark, with a candle lit at a far end of a corner, and her eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet. Relying on her sixth sense and sense of touch, she tried walking towards the door she came in from, when she heard a light growl. Suddenly, she noticed that there were other candles in the pitch black room, and they were all getting lit in sequence, like a chain reaction...poof! Poof!! Poof!!! Poof!!!

Walking towards her was a huge figure about her height or taller; the warm air it exhaled were brushed against her face, pushing back her hair. With the sides of eyes, she made a quick glance around the room, brightly lit, with four dogs the size of bears, encamping around her.

"Wolves?!" she exclaimed

Before she could let out a scream, she found herself hitting hard against the thick stone floor; she'd been attacked by a wolf. She struggled to her feet, staggered, but remained firm; she made an attempt to run, but got jabbed by a claw from behind.

Most of her clothes were shredded, blood rushed out of each part she'd received a hit. She laid on the ground, weak and covered in blood. She watched the four wolves circle her, and then run straight for her. In the pinch of the moment, her eyes turned green, she unconsciously mumbles a few word, which sent the wolves flying, sending them in the opposite direction from which they came at her from. They slammed hard against the pillars that held the chains that bound them, laying on the floor motionless.

She got up, and forced her way out of the basement, pulling and pushing herself on the floor 'til she got out. Her eyes were still glowing green, 'til she got to the porch of the house, where changed back immediately into its default brown colour.

(Present Time)

She jerked from bed, gasping for breath. Quickly yanked off the covers and rushed over to the dressing mirror. She stared into the mirror, feeling her face and moving her golden-brown hair from obstructing the clear view she had. The bright green glow of her eyes stole her focus, as she gave it an engraved look, before blinking and turning away from the mirror. She fixed her gaze on the room, as she looked around but couldn't make out where she was. She toke a few steps toward the bed, and sat on it, while observing the room even more.

She held out her right hand to attempt a spell.

"Fuego"

Flame as small as a candle fire rested with ease on her palm. Her concentrated eyes were fixed on it for a few seconds, before she chose to close her palm, which extinguished the fire. The second she freed her fingers open, she got pricked by it slight burn.

"Seems I can't control it yet in this body."

She stood, and picked her way to the door, held and twisted the knob, but before she could complete the task of turning down the knob, she fell to the ground; dropping like a big lump of sack. Her eyes were flickering randomly between green and light brown, and finally it settled with the brown, forming an obvious golden ring in the middle.

With her consciousness returned, she quickly rose from where she'd laid, surprise and uneasy. She walked to the middle of the room, took a quick turn around, and paused. Pressure was building up, sweat was rolling and tickling down her face, and she started fidgeting.

"This is not my room, where I'm I? Why does my palm hurt; did I get burnt or something?"

She ran to the door, shaking, banging and pulling it, trying every possible means to force it open.

"I've been kidnapped haven't I" She smacks her face with both her hands to reduce the tension. "Okay Aily, calm yourself. You went to deliver an ordered package, then you walked into the basement. Then...Then what happened? I don't remember. Everything seems blank from that point on. What is going on?!" She screamed, and immediately went mute when she heard the door knob twist, and the door fly open.

"Settle down lady, you were not kidnapped. This is the safest place you can ever be."

A man walked in, having a cloak on, over his head, but she could clearly see his face, and the thick jaw bone that ran diagonally on his face.

"Fine?! How did I get here -to this building -and why don't I remember waking up, and even anything that happened last night? Uh? Why?!"

She walked over to the strange man, and for reasons she couldn't understand, his presence wasn't threatening in any way, rather, it was nostalgically familiar too.

Drawing closer to her, he ran his hands over her face, trying to ease her up.

"Stay away from me." she lashed out at him, and hurried back.

"It is okay, you're safe --" he moved forward, taking his hands to her face again "-- Trust m-"

"I said, stay away!" As she screamed loudly, her eyes shone green, and the man went in the air; flying towards the door. He hits the door, which caused its wooden flesh to crack.

He grunted as he struggled up. He was relentless, and approached her again, holding out his hand, and telling her that its alright.

"What was that just now? How did you...? Tell me, what just happened?"

She watched him in bewilderment, fidgeting even more, and sweating all over.

"Its just magic, do not worry."

The man took off his cloak, dropped it on the floor. She could finally see his full stature, the black sleek hair, perfectly cut to its maximum shortness, a just-fine body that clearly rode out his protruding chest that pushed through the white T-shirt he wore, and the leather pants that gave meaning to those black boot.

His voice was more commanding, but settling.

"Magic? I cannot have magic."

She looked down into her palms, clothed in shock.

"I see, you have not awakened completely yet."

The less hunky dude stopped, and looked at her more deeply, then he extended his arm offering a shake.

"I'm Aeirmish Schmer of Greàboa." But he got turned down gracefully. "I'm also a magic user as much as you are. Watch!"

He then turned to the door, stretched his right hand at it...

"Em traez

ord"

His black lens turned green, as he watched the door breakdown and slowly crumble into dust.

She became a bit settled and took a step closer to him; looking at her own palms and back at what remained of the door.

"Everything is fine. You're safe here." Aeirmish persuaded.

"How did I get here?" Her face was gradually folding up in a frown.

"You got caught up in a dangerous situation last night. You were held hostage by some powerful creature, and we rescued you. Most of your body was covered in heavy injuries after the fight, but you have healed up pretty well."

He knew the truth of his words were even doubtful by him. But if it made her comfortable, nothing mattered.

"You're safe Ailith, trust me."

He softly smiled and placed his hand on her shoulder but she toke it off and retrograded a step.

"How do you know my name?"

Her frowns clearly formed its weaves on her face.

Aeirmish took a deep breath before feeding her curious mind.

"It is my grace, its a sort of telepathy; it gives me access to a person's personality and profile."

"So it is telepathy then?"

She raised a brow and stared sarcastically at him.

"Yes, but it is a bit more than just telepathy, but you will get to know everything in time."

When he saw she was a bit eased, and still overly curious, he wanted to tell her more about the incident that occurred over the night, but it wasn't his place to do so.

"This place doesn't look like Ale Avenue to me, so where the fuck did you kidnap me to?"

She tried toughening up, but he saw right through it.

"Ale Ave- ohh, I see." He replied silently enough that she wouldn't hear.

"Calm down, you will know in time. First, somebody has been awaiting your arrival."

Aeirmish was commanding, but his voice still had its settling soft bits.

"Who?"

"Just follow me!"

He let out his commanding tone yet again, and walked toward to door, gesturing at her to follow still. She hesitated but ran to him.

They walked through a dark corridor, haunted by the sound their heels made on the floor, each step carefully dispelled the awful silence piercing into their ears. Nothing but four torches fought back the blackness, giving them enough illumination to see the path ahead.

They came to stop in front of a huge double-leaved door; its toughness seemed to be of steel, or metal of similar hardness. Aeirmish stroke a pounce at the door, and then pushed it open; causing it to screech from the threshing it made on the stone ground, as he launched each leave to the opposite direction.

The door led to a big hall; dusty and gray. A barely functional chandelier hung sloppily from the ceiling, with enough candle light that drew out long shadows from the disarrayed chair, broken statues and sculptures, and upsidedown tables, which darkened the light even further. All the windows around were shut, and so did the door behind them. Ailith moved forward in fear, but Aeirmish's confident march was a bit reassuring. Her eyes quickly went in search for anything aside nonliving old items, and it stopped in ponder as she went further and deeper. She halted upon seeing five large human silhouettes ahead, with cloaks riding over their heads -a careful disguise to hide their identity. She tapped Aeirmish on the shoulder, and held it firmly, forcefully preventing him from taking anymore steps.

"Who are those?" She had mistrust written all over her.

"They are on of the high magus of this castle, and they want to meet you."

The simplicity and trust in his reply brougth a slight comfort to her, as continued his journey ahead. The figures were becoming closer and larger the further they went.

"Enough!" One of the hooded figures ordered.

"My lords, this is our new member, Ailith -" Aeirmish knelt in obeisance, having his right knee on the floor, while the other supported his left hand "- She was saved from the Lycuns last night and --"

"Bind her and throw her into the dungeon." A groping voice of the cloaked, commanded.

"But my Lord!"

"That is an order!" They all chorused in sync.

Ailith was yet again caught in another quandary.

"What the hell is going on? See I don't know any of you people, so I'm just gonna go now."

She turned to leave, but froze in steps

"Why can't I move?!"

She bellowed.

"Its a binding spell. I'm sorry!" Aeirmish apologised.

"Thios ten aer"

He said another spell that made her fall unconscious. He walked over, carried her on his shoulder, and moved to exit the hall.