United: The Dragon Empress

Memory 2

I could hear the loud foot steps running down the hall and the gasp of air that was inhaled as she reached my door. She knocked rapidly at it and a squeal of sure delight came roaring through the thick slab of beautifully crafted wood.

"Come on, Zea. If you don't hurry we'll be late for the coming of age ceremony and our entrance exam."

I sat in front of my mirror unmotivated to move. My reflection staring at me with a face full of dissatisfaction and judgment. It was as if the person looking back at me were letting me know my lack of interest of our mysterious power had grown over night. As a 'proud' member of the Gome family it was the duty of all of it's members, myself included, to continue on the legacy that my ancestors started. I learned at a young age, as all my siblings before me did, I was not born out of love. My life was only meant to carry on the bloodline of Gome and my friendship with her was only a privilege granted by my parents. If not for my elder brother, Fae, the privilege would have never been granted.

It was the day every child of age from a family of magic anticipated. After years of education on fundamental, history, and lore we were finally going to be able to practice magic as adults. While everyone else was filled to the brim with excitement I, on the other hand, was just ready for the day to be over with. So much fuss over something that was already predetermined. I already knew what path lied ahead of me, it was painted clearly for me to see a very long time ago.

My eyes rolled upward and a scoff escaped me. Watching the door through the mirror and leaned forward to rest my elbows on my the top of the vanity. My head resting on my hands as I used them to cradle my face and keep me propped up.

"It's not a big deal even if we don't show, we'll technically still be legal. We would still receive our status as adult witches and I'm pretty sure our last lectures mentioned that amulet and grimoire would still come to us even if we don't use the Alter. Don't make such a big deal over a shiny magic rock and an old book." 

The knob to my door clicked and she flung it open. It smacked against the wall with a loud thud and she came rushing at me. Startled by her new found aggressive behavior I sat up straight and met her eyes.

"That rock and book is proof that we are full fledged magi. Plus it's tradition to receive it at the ceremony so you can use it for the exam. Don't tell me you're not excited after all the hard work we put in to achieve this? Aren't you a little excited to be able to take the exam for Henworth? I know how much that academy means to you and your family." 

This was one of the reasons my parents approved of our friendship. She was every bit of magic enthusiast, just as they were. Her only 'fault' was being of mixed blood. I turned around to face my mirror and our eyes met in the reflection. The lights in her eyes as they glistened and I sighed as I shrugged my shoulders.

"Actually, I'm not excited about it. I'm only going because if I don't my family will be on my case about not attending. Honestly, what is so great about being a witch, mage, sorceress, wizard? I am actually not even sure we understand the difference between any of them. If there even is a difference," I turn myself back around to face her, "You do know that the humans fear us and only pretend to like us because we have powers they don't understand, right? I mean are we really needed anymore in this world?"

She scoffed at my words waving them off as propaganda then rolled her eyes. 

"Nonsense, Zea. Stop reading those pamphlets about humans starting a resistance against us. We are needed now just as we were needed than," she frown her brows and folded her arms across her chest,"What am I going to do with you? You are too naive and believe everything that racist band of sorcerers utters. None of it is true...take it from a mixta, racism is nonexistent."

I felt my stomach become twisted as I heard her refer to herself in such a degrading fashion. That very word was solely used to let those like her knkw they were not liked and they were looked down on.

"Zola, don't you ever use that word to describe yourself again. It's meant to be an insult."

She stared at me as if to telepathically tell me not to change the subject.

"Zeh, that word only bothers you negatively if you allow it to."

You do understand there is nothing you can do or say to get me to jump for joy about today."

"Yes, as well as you understand that it won't stop me from trying to get you take today a bit more serious."

"And another thing just because your father says the resistance doesn't exist doesn't make it fact. I am not siding with either side I just don't plan to turn a blind eye to what is going on in the world."

"I am not asking you to. I just simply think that focusing all your energy on something that has yet to be pro en as fact is a waste. Can't we just study magic and work on becoming great magi."

"This is exactly why the other races have secluded themselves away from us?"

"Zeh, please get out of your head for one moment. We still have quite a few races amongst us. They haven't all gone into hiding."

"You don't get it, Zola. I am human and you half human, but even though human blood courses through both our veins we are not viewed as equal to them due to the magic that flows in us. I focus on this because battle has become ours as of today. It is all around us, Zola. The racist lifestyle that our ancestors blended into society and have dealt with for years. I don't hate them for being afraid...I just wish for us all to be able to live in peace."

I didn't want to be a mage or witch or an enchantress in the first place. It was more that my family was well known for being known for their magical strength that I was pushed into the family business. Each of my family members had a specific magic they practiced and excelled in, as was custom. There were six categories of sorcery: fire, water, wind, earth, dark and light. I practiced water spells, not because I wanted to, but because my father pushed it onto me after watching me turn a puddle into a small replica of our town. I actually didn't care which type I practiced it was all irrelevant to me, as I could do any one of them with no problem. My mother, on the other hand, wished for me to become a Witch of Fire by joining her sisterhood and so I was forced to also practice fire spells as well. I was however instructed by mother to only ever use my water abilities in public. As using multiple magics was not heard of and also looked down on for various superstitious reason by humans.

She reached her hand out to and fixed my ponytail then smiled.

"Okay fair enough, just slow down with how fast you're aging, alright. We may be getting our grimoires and amulets today, but we are still only twelve." She said.

I sighed then looked into the mirror and replied,

"Not yet adults, but no longer children either. So where do we fit in, Zola."

"That is for us to decide after the ceremony. Come on you know you're already going to pass. Henworth is a great school and even though I will be going to a much more public school than you, we can always hang out and practice together."

I looked at her through the mirror and smiled a bit. She was rather good at making one feel better about themselves even when they felt ten inches tall. My thoughts may have been full of uneasy thoughts because of the fact that I knew we wouldn't be together all the time anymore. She would go on to make new friends and enjoy her years in Sylla Academy. Our friendship would slowly become second to her and we'd drift apart. My eyes watered a bit as I thought of this.

"Okay, just don't forget me when you start to make friends at your new school. You must promise me this, at least call me or send me a holocard."

She wrapped her arms around me from behind and we shared an awkward hug. A smile on both of our faces as we stared at each through the mirror and became teary eyed.

"How could I ever forget my best friend? Zea, your like a sister to me. I don't plan on leaving you alone, ever. Besides you would be nothing, but a dull puppet if I were not around. Someone has to be there to free you of those deadly strings." She said.

"So you've noticed my strings? I wondered why I felt so liberated all this time. Okay let us go before they send an army of servants looking for us. I'm sure our families are already at the ceremony waiting for us."

I got up from my chair and we took each others hand as we exited the room. We spoke of random topics as we raced down the hallway laughing all the way. I heard a few servants gasping at the sight of us running so recklessly and even heard a few scold us for not being very ladylike. We reached the bottom of the stairs and we grabbed our capes then through them over ours shoulders. A smile on our faces we stepped out the door into the bright sun light hand in hand and made our way to the center of the village.

We walked along the main road talking among ourselves and reminiscing as we passed by various places we held fond memories of.  I sighed as we reached the main square of the village and realized the crowd of people began to thicken as we neared the Alter. All the students were gathered by the fountain chatting and giggling as they waited for the ceremony to begin. It was customary for the students to wait and they would all be called into the building separately. The building was the oldest in the village and the biggest. It was said that our village was actually built around it after the founders had to fight off thieves who tried to steal the aptitude stone. I looked over at the building known as 'The Alter' and a chill spread through my body. None of us knew what the inside looked like as no one, but the elders, were allowed inside until the ceremony and exams. The place always gave me a bad feeling, as if my body wre telling me don't go near there. That day I had no choice, but to fight against the feeling to run and complete the ritual of becoming a mage.

"Zola, I really don't want to be here any longer then we have to. Once the test is over I will be leaving." I said.

We stopped in front of a group of kids who were from a different village. We could tell from the clothes they wore and because we didn't recognize any of them. Their village must have been one of the sister villages. We would often see people from them around that time of year.

"Zea, please don't ruin this for me okay. You have to stay for the whole thing. This ceremony isn't only to find out what school you will go to next, but to make friends with other students from neighboring villages."  Zola replied.

I looked over at her and frowned. She had a way to make me bend to her will. I hated it, but I also loved it, because I loved her and her smile.

"Fine. I'll do it for you, but just know I won't enjoy one second of this."

We look at each other briefly and then heard the sound of horns blowing in a rhythmically joyous tune.  After a lengthy speech from an the exam overseer the students formed lines and waited to hear their name called. Upon hearing my name I grabbed Zola's hand and pressed on it slightly. Something kept urging me to walk the other way. I could feel in every cell of my body that whatever I was searching for would not be in that building and it would only lead to disaster of I stepped foot into it.

"You can do this, Zea. Just focus on one thing at a time and Henworth is yours." Zola whispered to me.

I took a deep breath and released my grip on her hand then made my way to the entrance. As I walked into the darkness of the hallway my body stiffened and a cold shiver passed through me. The urgent feeling I struggled with became overwhelming and I dropped to my knees. Sweat pooled up on my forehead and my breathing became shallow. Surrounded by the dankness in the air my eyes began to adjust to the dark. For the second time on my life I felt the utter emptiness of being alone. Almost lost in my mental isolation I saw a white light start to shine and then I heard my name being called.

"Zea..."

The voice was so familiar and I looked around to see if anyone were around me. I was alone in that hallway lined with pictures of my family. The light began to grow and reached out to it, it felt welcoming. I found myself caught in a traced like gaze as I rose to my feet and walked towards it.  The soft whispers I heard coming from it sounded ancient, but they were so soft I couldn't make out what they were chanting. All I knew was that I needed to reach the glow of light. That the feeling of dread would be washed away once I was near it. Upon touching the warm glow everything around me became swallowed by it and my eyes snapped opened to see a familiar face.

He sat there eyes locked with mine and for a brief moment I felt my face become hot. My heart raced for the first time since we met and the moment we shared was the most awkward one ever.

In all the years we had known each other moments of lust, desire, and love were not things we experienced with each other. So far my body to react in such a way was a curious mystery that baffled me.