CHAPTER 7
1401 Words
Chapter 7: Echoes of Magic
The sound of wind chimes echoed faintly through Jenny’s apartment as she stood in the center of her small living room. The curtains fluttered, though no breeze entered. The lamp on her table flickered faintly, casting long shadows across the walls.
Azrael stood across from her, his arms crossed, his expression calm but intense. The faint glow in his golden eyes reflected the light like molten metal.
“Magic,” he began, his voice low and steady, “isn’t a trick or illusion. It’s energy—alive, wild, and dangerous. And it responds to emotion.”
Jenny blinked, nervous. “Emotion? You mean like… feelings?”
“Yes,” Azrael said, stepping closer. “Your heart is the key. Anger fuels destruction. Fear feeds illusion. And love…” He paused, eyes softening. “…Love gives it purpose.”
Jenny’s throat went dry. She wasn’t sure which scared her more—his words or the way his gaze lingered on her when he said love.
“So how do I start?” she asked, her voice shaky.
Azrael raised his hand, and a small, glowing orb of golden light appeared above his palm. “Focus on what you want this light to be. Let it respond to your will.”
Jenny took a deep breath, extending her trembling hand. “Okay… I can do this.”
She closed her eyes and tried to focus. She thought of her mother working late nights, of the bills stacked on the table, of her father who left without a trace. Pain twisted in her chest—but beneath it was something stronger. Hope.
The air shifted.
A faint, silvery light flickered in her palm, glowing brighter and brighter until it burst into a soft wave of warmth.
Jenny gasped. “I—I did it!”
Azrael smiled faintly. “Not bad for a mortal.”
She grinned, unable to hide her excitement. “Maybe I’m a natural!”
“Don’t get too confident,” he said, stepping forward and gently closing her hand. “Magic listens to pride, too—and it doesn’t like it.”
Jenny blinked, confused. “What do you mean?”
Before he could answer, the lights in the apartment flickered. The lamp on the table dimmed, and the warmth in the air was replaced by a sudden chill.
Azrael’s expression darkened. “She’s here.”
Jenny froze. “The Queen?”
He nodded. “She’s testing you. Trying to scare you before your power grows.”
The window glass began to shimmer, and the reflection in it wasn’t Jenny’s anymore—it was Seraphina, her past self, standing in the same spot but surrounded by smoke. Her eyes glowed red this time, not blue.
Jenny’s pulse quickened. “That’s… me?”
Azrael stepped in front of her, his energy crackling. “No. That’s not you—it’s her shadow.”
The reflection smirked. “Still protecting her, Azrael? How loyal.”
Jenny’s stomach dropped at the sound of that voice. It wasn’t the Queen’s—it was hers, older, colder.
Azrael raised his hand. “You will not have her.”
The reflection tilted her head mockingly. “You can’t protect her forever, Genie. You never could.”
Before Jenny could react, the mirror cracked and exploded into shards that floated midair like frozen raindrops. Each piece showed flashes of another world—ruins, fire, a woman screaming in pain.
Jenny clutched her head, dizzy. “What’s happening?”
Azrael’s voice was urgent. “She’s pulling memories! Fight it, Jenny! Focus on now!”
“I’m trying!” she cried.
Her knees buckled, and in an instant, she was no longer in her apartment. She was standing on a stone bridge above a sea of mist, the sky crimson and full of lightning.
A voice whispered behind her. “You cannot run from what you are.”
Jenny turned—and saw the Queen of Shadows, tall and cloaked in darkness. Her face was beautiful but terrifying, her eyes black as ink.
Jenny stepped back. “Stay away from me!”
The Queen smiled faintly. “You still think you have a choice.”
A sudden golden light flared beside Jenny. Azrael appeared, his form solid and radiant, standing protectively before her. “You will not touch her.”
The Queen laughed softly. “Oh, Azrael… still clinging to the same mortal heart after all this time? How tragic.”
Jenny’s chest tightened. “What is she talking about?”
Azrael didn’t answer. His jaw tightened, and he raised his hand. “Leave now, or I’ll force you.”
The Queen’s smile faded, replaced by something darker. “You’ll try.”
She raised her hand, and the mist around them formed into shadowy beasts with glowing red eyes. They lunged forward, snarling.
Azrael summoned his sword of light, slicing through the creatures with ease—but for every one he destroyed, two more appeared.
Jenny backed away, terrified. “There’s too many!”
Azrael turned to her. “Use your magic! Focus!”
“I don’t know how!”
“Yes, you do,” he said sharply. “You’ve always known.”
Jenny closed her eyes, her heart racing. She remembered the warmth from earlier, the light that answered her pain. She reached for it again—but this time, she thought of Azrael’s voice, calm and strong even in chaos.
A white light burst from her palms, brighter than before, forming a shield around them. The shadow creatures hissed and disintegrated.
Azrael’s eyes widened slightly. “Impressive.”
Jenny opened her eyes and stared at her glowing hands. “Did I just—”
“Yes,” he said quietly. “You controlled it.”
Before she could reply, the Queen’s laughter echoed again. “You’ve grown stronger… but not strong enough.”
Her form began to fade into smoke. “Enjoy your borrowed power, little witch. Soon, it will be mine.”
Then she was gone.
The bridge crumbled beneath them, and Jenny gasped—only to find herself suddenly back in her apartment, on her knees, trembling.
Azrael stood beside her, his chest heaving. Even he looked exhausted.
Jenny looked up at him. “What… what was that?”
“A vision,” he said quietly. “But not an illusion. The Queen’s realm is merging with yours. The veil is thinning faster than I thought.”
Jenny took a shaky breath. “Then we need to find the first fragment. Fast.”
Azrael nodded, his jaw set. “Agreed. And I know where to start.”
She blinked. “Where?”
He looked out the window, his eyes narrowing. “Your university.”
Jenny frowned. “My old university? Why there?”
“Because,” Azrael said, his tone dark, “that place was built over an ancient temple—the same temple that once housed the Heart of Eternity.”
Jenny’s eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”
“I never kid.”
She exhaled slowly, trying to process everything. “So my school’s basically built on a magical graveyard.”
“Essentially.”
Jenny gave a nervous laugh. “Perfect. What could go wrong?”
Azrael smiled faintly. “Everything.”
She groaned, rubbing her face. “You’re really bad at pep talks.”
He chuckled softly. “You’ll get used to me.”
Jenny looked at him then—really looked—and something inside her stirred. A memory, a feeling she couldn’t name.
“Azrael…” she whispered. “Did we… ever love each other before?”
He froze, his expression unreadable. For a long moment, he didn’t speak. Then he said quietly, “You shouldn’t ask questions you’re not ready to remember.”
Jenny’s heart skipped a beat. “So that’s a yes.”
He turned away. “Get some rest, Jenny. Tomorrow, we start the search.”
As he vanished into smoke, Jenny sat in silence, staring at the lamp.
Her fingers brushed over its surface, and for a moment, she thought she heard a whisper—her own voice, echoing faintly from somewhere deep inside:
“You once loved him enough to die for him.”
Jenny’s breath caught. “What…?”
The whisper faded.
And outside, the city lights flickered—just once—like a warning from the universe.
To be continued…
- Writer
