The Lost Paradise

Chapter 47

"This is the first time in the history of Welcimson that the tram and ehite faction tests were completed in one night itself", Kloviny said. I did not know how they knew about it, but as soon as we reached the Welcimson and got into our uniforms getting ready for the day, we received a letter.

A letter that included a message that we were needed to meet the head professor Kloviny. On reaching his office, I realised that it was not only me and Vanya but my other flocc members were also asked to visit. My first thought was that we were getting into trouble. My brain had already started making escape plans if things escalated.

Ryan who stood beside me looked up at the professor as if he would just rip him apart if given a chance. I found it comical, really. I hide the smile that crept onto my face, Ryan turned sideways and gave me a perplexed look. Don't start anything, I told him silently. He nodded, but I could see his frustration from the way he was tightly clenching his fists.

"What did you all do?", Kloviny asked us curiously. No one spoke, so I decided to speak up. "Nothing, we were just doing our normal work. Reading and studying a lot", I answered, forcing a big smile on my face. He squinted his eyes, looking at me thoughtfully. "Eliza Helton", he called my name and started walking towards me. "I have heard a lot about you from Professor Gregory and Professor Fyun. They had interesting things to say about you", he smiled at me. Those ice-blue eyes looked piercingly into my soul. I smiled at him. "Was it good or bad Professor?", I asked innocently. He smiled. "You don't need to worry. You have been showing good progress", he nodded.

I did not like him. I was sure he was the one behind Giggi and the other two students' death. But why? Why did he have to fake his identity? If he wasn't the real Kloviny Krikon then who was the real Kloviny krikon? What happened to him? What happened to Lord Zeklos, how could he not know of this? The Almighty who knew everything didn't know who his real brother was?

He moved back now. "You six will be the first ones to go on a field visit", he told us. "The rest of the details will be given by Professor Oran", He said. We left his office after he congratulated us another time.

"His gaze gives me goosebumps", Lianna said after exiting his office. "What do you think this field visit will be about?", Henry asked no one in particular. "Who knows", I sighed.

*****

"Should we search for him?", Vanya asked me, once we reached our room. I immediately understood that she was implying to Reek. "I don't know. I fear they will do something to him too if we tried to do something", I told her shaking my head. She agreed to me, after giving it some thought. We were helpless, we just knew it. I hoped I could talk to Rhitozar, I felt like I knew no one else who could show me the path to the truth other than him.

Strica, my mind said. I wanted to suddenly meet her very badly. After lunch, I walked out till the Welcimson exit and used my zarkis to travel to the Sovinkin clan. I reached my house's doorstep and knocked on the door without any hesitation. Strica came out and opened the door. "I need to talk to you", I said, she looked horrified at me. "Eliza baby", she took my face into her hands. "What are you doing here? You are not supposed to come here more often. You haven't taken the oath yet, you might get into trouble. Someone might hurt you", she ranted, out of concern. I smiled at her. "I will be fine Strica. Don't worry".

"What is it?", she asked, closing the door behind her. "I have to talk to you", I said, looking at the door behind her. I knew that my mother or my father would come out and check if Strica didn't go back in in a few minutes. "It will take time", I told her, she stared at me blankly at first but then later understanding she ran inside again. She came back out after a few minutes.

She took my hand and we walked out of the crowded streets. She took me towards the mountain where the sacred Pheonix resided. Except for the days of choosing ceremony, no one goes there usually. We sat by the foot of the mountain where the breeze was cool. I breathed the smell of the wet air that the rain brought, and enjoyed the brief peace that this place gave me. It was freshening.

"Strica what happens after we take the oath?", I asked her, without wasting any time. She didn't answer immediately, I thought she was caught off-guard by my question. "Let's see", she started, exhaling deeply. "After you take the oath. You are assigned to a family or an individual who needs a protector very badly. Like your case. After your birth, you were suffering deeply so they sent me here to help you", she explained. I nodded. "But then what about the magic?", I asked her, pointing at her bare wrists. She had no zarkis, and I wanted to ask her what happened to that. She paused and then looked at her wrists.

She opened her mouth, several times but then closed it again. "You don't need zarkis to protect. Your love is in your heart not in your zarkis. What you need to help people is in your heart", she recited fluently as if she has been saying this every day to herself. It made me suspicious. "On the day of my oath ceremony. I gave up my magic willingly so that I can help innocent souls like you", she told me smiling broadly. "But what about the life that the magic promises?", I asked her immediately. "You get that with or without the zarkis. The phoenix bestowed you with that blessing at the moment it saw you and chose you. It has nothing to do with the zarkis", she shook her head.

"Strica", I called her name softly. Recognising the change in my tone, she turned around and looked at me. "What if I don't want to give up the zarkis, give up magic?", I asked her, softly. She shook her head. "They will make you give up", she said, a single teardrop escaping her eyes. I looked into her eyes and saw her struggling. She wanted to say something, something very desperately. But she couldn't, she couldn't speak of it. Giving up, she burst into tears. I took her into my arms and let her cry.

One thing was clear for me now. The oath ceremony had something to do with making students give up on their zarkis and magic out willingly. And to give them a purpose for the record, they send them to miserable homes and make them miserable too. I remember how my parents used to treat Strica, she deserved none of that. Kloviny had a purpose, but why? What did he want to achieve by doing all this? Rhitozar? Where was he? I wanted to talk to him.

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