Chapter: 6

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***

"Please stop!"

Silence.

"I beg you to stop..." My voice couldn't hold the strength anymore as it cracked by the end of my sentence.

The tap of my shoes and my whimpers were the only sounds to be heard as I sprinted through the corridor, my eyes fixed upon the figure with curly, fluffy, dark brown hair with a lean back, as it continued it's path through the endless corridors.

Soon, I reached the staircase that led to the study, about which I had no mood to think about since the only thought that had conquered my mind was the disappearance of the figure whom I was following at the moment, instead of getting ready for the funeral of my brother, Mike.

I halted to a stop when I came at the bottom of the stair case. After glancing here and there, searching for the figure, something caught my eye at the upper corridor, outside the study. It was him.

I hurriedly marched the stairs only to meet the empty corridor again, until my eyes met the dark corner of the corridor.  I had never been there, but that was going to change now.

The figure turned around and after catching the glimpse of me following him, he continued his hide and seek game. By the time I reached that dark corner, my eyes met another corridor at the left.

How do they even remember the map? I thought to myself and again slipped into the corridor. This corridor was the darkest of all.

The lights on the ceiling were illuminating light, that was not sufficient enough to light up the corridor properly. I couldn't find the figure, again, but the sound of the creaking of a door caught my attention. After reaching the end of the corridor, on my left was a wooden door that was slightly ajar. Reluctantly, I opened the door and met a little haunting scene.

There were stairs descending with rod railing on the left while pointed rods at the top of the wall on the right. The corridor was quite narrow. The wall on the left had a window whereas the wall on the right was caked with growing green algae.

I could see the open sky behind those pointed rods at the top of wall and the slight breeze left tingles on my skin that was exposed quite enough due to my night dress. I could smell the woods. Does this lead out somewhere? I questioned myself. There was just one light bulb that hanged on the left wall.

Not sure if what I was going to do would be a wise decision or not, I gripped the railing from my left hand and took a step down onto the stair. Just when I had reached the last step, the figure whom I had been following came into my view properly and stood in front of me, at the end of the corridor.

"Mike." I breathed.

"What are you doing? Why aren't you speaking?" Myriad questions buzzed through my mind which I had restrained myself from asking, yet. I stepped my other foot on the last step as well.

"Mike? Tell me, how are you alive? Stop playing this hide and seek game. If you want to tell me something, just go ahead but please don't torture me like this!" My voice had reached a high pitch by the latter part.

All that Mike did was he stood there, gazing at me with those emotionless eyes. His eyes which used to cheer me up now made me feel scared.

"Don't let them use your powers my little cupcake." His voice brought a smile on my face but when his words registered in my brain, my emotional smile turned into a frown and my brows scrunched up in confusion.

"They used me cupcake and now they want to use you. Just remember, whenever you need help, drop by the Keystone Tree and throw the leaf into the water. I will be there."

"What do you mean?" At this, he smiled and I felt my head getting dizzy. I tried to regain my composure by holding my head in my hands but everything was moving round and round. I squeezed my eyes shut and tears began to flow out of my eyes.

"Be safe cupcake and keep the Keystone Diamonds safe too." That was the last that I heard before I succumbed into darkness.

***

"Cressida dear. Wake up." I shoot up and by the time I was done gaining my senses, I was panting badly with a light throbbing at the back of my head. I felt some weight on my shoulder and on turning my head to left, my eyes met the familiar, wrinkled face of Mrs.Potter with her hand placed on my left shoulder. 

"Here, have some water." I drank the water and the sensation felt as if it rained in a scorching desert. I wiped out the sweat from my forehead.

"Dear, you are getting late. You have only half an hour left before Mike's funeral." I nodded absent mindedly.

She pointed towards the black coloured dress that was hanging neatly on a hanger which was placed on one of the arm chairs in front of the window. Then she left but not before telling me that she will arrive after half an hour to escort me to the funeral field. I stood up on my shaking legs.

I know that it was not a dream. I thought to myself. The first part was the dream when Mike was engulfed by the darkness and that symbol was drawn on the floor but me following him and the discussion, that all was real. I am hundred percent sure that it was all real.

I glanced at the clock. I remembered that I had woken up quite long ago, at 4:00 am and now it was 4:30 and thus highlighting that it took a whole half an hour for that incident to happen. This meant that when I had faint, someone placed me on the bed. But who? Or maybe it was Mike?

My mind gave up. I knew that if my emotions got a little more stronger, my powers would erupt from within my self and as Damien had mentioned, I might end up hurting everyone, including myself.

Pushing everything into a corner of my mind, I picked up my dress and touched the soft fabric. It was silk and black in colour. After slipping myself into the dress, I stood in front of the floor length mirror and tied my long dark brown hair into a low bun, letting only two strands on either sides of my face to fall freely.

I did not do anything else and who would want to when one's beloved person dies. I took in my reflection. My face was still looking as dead as it was before. Although I had made up my mind to go with the life as it had gotten and and get used to it but the recent incidents made me run mad. No. I wasn't suppose to end up like that.

"Be safe cupcake and keep the Keystone Diamonds safe too." Mike's words lingered in my mind. I nodded to myself in the mirror and decided that nothing would make me run mad and I won't give up at any case. I heard a soft knock at the door. After giving myself a last glance, I headed towards the door.

***

"I had no idea that uniform could suit anyone but seems like I have to change my perception." Eleanor exclaimed as we walked side by side to the assembly hall after we were done with the our breakfast and my brother's funeral. I gave her an eye roll.

Uniform for girls consisted of a simple white button up shirt that was tucked in my dark blue skirt. The skirt reached above my knees. On the top was I wearing a dark blue coat that had the symbol of our school.

To complete the professional student look, there was a tie too, with a dark blue base and light blue stripes.The black leggings covered my legs. For boys the uniform consisted of white buttoned shirt and dark blue pants, along dark blue coat and the same tie as the girls.

"Oh come on, look at yourself in the mirror. Your figure is just like that of a....what do we say to that thing with two bulbs upside down, sand flowing from one part into another one, one that is used to measure time?" Eleanor murmered most of the part to herself.

Before I could answer her, Damien interrupted us by answering, "An hourglass." And then wrapped me into hug. I froze in my place. What had gotten into his mind? I then remembered the events of last night and my face blushed beet root. After few seconds which felt like hours to me, he pulled away with a frown on his face. He gave a hug to Eleanor as well but that one was shorter than mines.

"You know, you are suppose to hug a person back if he hugs you." Now I got the reason for the frown.

"If that person is you then I don't think hugging back is necessary."

"Feisty, huh?" He said with a smirk on his face. Eleanor was still, looking at us with amusement. I pulled her arm and began to walk, ignoring Damien who now stood on my right side, walking with us.

"Both of yours chemistry really is a headache to me." I heard Eleanor saying. I rolled my eyes again but with a slight smile on my face. They at least knew how to make me feel better.

The hallway we were passing through was totally different than the other parts of the academy, or I better say castle. It was well lighted and felt too lively with the chit chat of the students, who too were moving towards the assembly hall.

The floor was smothered by the red carpet whereas the ceiling was holding the weight of the small chandeliers which gave off the yellow light. It would be better if the academy was given names for having two sections; dark, creepy part and the other section to be called the lighted, lively part. Way too opposite.

The best thing were the maps that were pasted in every corridor. Moreover, the staff was quite amiable and one could always be found in a corridor. However, I felt uncomfortable under their gazes. They acting as staff was less likely and were paying more attention on keeping an eye on us. Well, at least that was what I thought.

Soon after a passing through few hallways, we approached a double door that was made up of wood. The wood was carved splendidly with minor details, making the work at the door bewitching and one could easily tell that it was glazed with meticulous care. Damien pushed open the door and I found myself gaping at the surroundings. My orbs were erratically moving about.

The major theme of the hall was gold, cream white and beige. There were sets of tables with their chairs in a methodical arrangement. Pillars on the walls were painted in gold colour.

There were panels of windows in upside U-shape and between them were pillars, barricading them. The tiles consisted of a check-pattern of dark beige and cream color and magnificent chandeliers at the ceiling. The view outside the windows made my heart slip out of its place.

I slowly moved towards one of the windows and placed my hand on it. The touch felt cold to my finger tips and the palm. There outside the building was sea that was stretched way too widely. It seemed to be incessant. The land surrounding the sea had few buildings like the parts of castle.

"That building at the far corner, at the edge of the land is the training centre." I knew who it was therefore there was no need to turn and see. Damien came and stood beside me with his hands in his pockets.

"It seems to be old and.....creepy.....haunted as well."

"Yep, it does. In fact it was the first part after the castle that was built. It has been used by all the previous Diamonds that came before us. My dad and mom were also trained there."

I peeked at him and saw that he was looking distant, as if lost somewhere. Since my curiosity got the best of me, I couldn't stop myself from asking, "Damien, what is the Keystone Tree?" I asked in a low voice to make sure that no one else heard.

"What?!" He turned to me with his voice loud.

As the hall was too big and only few students had reached the hall, nobody hear him. I took in his expression. His eye brows shot up, eyes wide open and hands out of the pocket and mouth gaping, waiting for my response.

I cleared my throat and continued, "If you don't know then just tell me. At least don't act like that."

He turned his facial expression neutral and he stepped forward. Then he held my hand and began pulling me in a corner that was vacant. The only thought at that time in my mind was the sensation of his hand on mine, so carefully grasped, and it felt secured.

I was pulled out of my thoughts when Damien waved his free hand in front of my face. I had not realised that we had reached the corner.

"Pardon?" I asked.

"I asked you that where did you hear that thing from?"

"Umm, no where?" Since I was not a good liar at all, my lie came out as a question. I mentally slapped myself for that.

"I hope you know that you are not a good liar. Anyways, let's be serious. Wherever you heard it from, don't mention anything about it to anyone." He ordered and now it was the end of my patience. There was so much on my mind. Why was not anyone keen at all to answer my questions?

"What do you mean? Okay I won't tell it to anyone but will it kill you if you just tell me that what it is? I don't get it, why is everyone here like this? Do you all got some sort of common virus or what?" I was flying my arms in all directions while talking.

"Feisty cat." He murmered under his breath but I heard it.

"Oh really? Well then you are a Feisty snake, feisty lion, feisty panda, Feisty frog, Feisty....Feisty coakroach, feisty dove...." I was interrupted by a loud sound of someone laughing. On turning to look at the front, it was the one and only, Mr.Damien.

"What?!" I asked angrily.

"Seriously....like....wait.....let me....stop!" He kept on laughing holding his stomach. When his laugh died down that had caused water to seep out of his eyes, he stood straight with a his stupid smile on his face.

"Feisty Panda? Feisty lion? Feisty snake? And Feisty dove? Seriously? My God. You are hilarious."

"No I am not." I huffed.

"Ah, I remember. As you are a nerd, you don't know how to answer or payback others. You are a good girl." His smirk was still on his face while he patted on my head as if I was some little kid.

"I'm very vexed with you!" I crossed my arms and began to come out of the corner. He followed me while giggling.

"No need to tell. You turn beet root red when you are angry or shy." Then he came near to my face and whispered in my ear, his hot breath fanning my ears and left cheek, "Just like last night." I legit turned red at that moment. Everything was so very much messed up. My life, my emotions, everything.

"Listen." His voice portrayed that he had turned serious.

"You want to know your answers and I want to know mine. We will get them tomorrow after the ball." I brought my brows together because everything that he said left my mind addled.

How were we suppose to get our answers tomorrow? What Ball? Just when I opened my mouth to ask, the assembly hall's door opened and in came the evil's mother, Lady Hannah. She briskly walked to the stage that was on the left hand side of the entrance door.

I saw Eleanor waving to us who was sitting at a table placed in the very middle, amongst other tables. Students had filled the chairs and thankfully, Eleanor had saved us a table. Damien again, held my hand and led me there.

On reaching the table, I took the seat that was facing the stage. I looked at Damien, questioning him with my eyes about what he had said before but he motioned me to hear to Lady Hannah. I obeyed him.

After clearing up her throat, Lady Hannah fixed the position of the mic that was placed on the rostrum.

"Greetings my dear Diamonds! Hope you all are doing well." She then paused and waited for our reply to which the students unenthusiastically replied yes.

"Diamonds, as promised, you will continue your trip of the Bounds Academy today but adding to it is a good news. There would not be any classes today." To this students got enthusiastic and began clapping. Typical students.

"Moreover, tomorrow we are going to hold the Welcome Ball. This Ball takes place every year when new students join us. Your dresses will be hanged in your cupboards by the time you will reach your dorms. There will be two and you can choose any one of them. This is for both, boys and girls. Also, partner up yourselves for the dance too. Also, you will experience some magic tomorrow. "

The kids commenced talking to each other.

"Since you have not witnessed anything magical yet, you will begin experiencing tomorrow so that you won't get shocked when your classes will begin. So my dear Diamonds, fasten your seat belts because you are about to begin the purpose of your life from tomorrow onwards." With this she stepped off the stage and motioned Damien to come and follow her. He gave me a wink and then left.

"Was that necessary?" I asked to myself but Eleanor was fast to hear that.

"He likes you."

"Very funny." He could not, could he?

After the end of Lady Hannah's short speech, we were handed the invitation cards to the ball. To be honest, I was kind of looking forward to the ball since I had always wanted to go to one, but not without my bro and at that same time, it also hurt.

My mind then drifted off to what Damien had said. I was ready for what he wanted to do because he was right, I wanted answers but what answers did he wanted? Everything would become crystal clear tomorrow, hopefully, if nothing goes wrong.

***

Well, the next chapter is going to reveal the whole book's motives and major secrets so don't miss it and stay tuned.

Love,

 Eeman Faisal