Meeting Aggie

41.

Celeste was right. Water magic was the easiest elemental magic to learn. I went from manipulating droplets of water to manipulating a river to stop flowing. It was interesting magic.

Now it was time to learn light magic. I was surrounded by mirrors known as the mirrors of truth. They reflected me in six different ways—one as my outward self as Aggie, then one each showing Isidore, Poppy, Remiel, Eris, and a version I didn't recognize with a crown adorning her head. It felt like déjà vu from when I found out about my other forms.

The sixth version looked...different. We shared the same features except she had millions of live stars twinkling on her skin. Her eyes were a deep gold with red hints.

She had short dark brown curly hair with blue to pink tips. Her crown was rose gold with red jewels at each point.

"Who are you?"

"I'm you," the form responded in a rich, powerful voice.

"I don't recognize you."

"You won't. Not yet."

She slowly disappeared then the others followed, smiling at me or waving. I was left standing alone, surrounded by six reflections of myself, each one a reminder of my current state.

"Celeste! What am I supposed to do in here?" I called out in frustration.

"I'm not going to help you this time! Consider it another test. Think about what you can do with light." Celeste's voice echoed from beyond the mirrored barrier.

I tried to visualize light bouncing off the mirrors, but my efforts fell short. I tried again and again, growing increasingly irritated by my lack of progress.

From outside the circle of mirrors, Celeste released a deep sigh. "Do you need a hint? You're so close to figuring it out."

I smacked my forehead in frustration, then ran a hand through my hair in exasperation.

"Yes, Celeste. Please give me a hint."

"You were almost there. You just channeled your magic through the wrong form," she responded.

She was right. I had inadvertently relied on Isidore for assistance when I should have trusted in my elemental abilities. Poppy would always be disappointed in me, and that realization stung.

Poppy let out an exasperated sigh, her voice tinged with a mix of disappointment and amusement. "Well, well, I must say, seeing you fail does give me some satisfaction. Ignorance seems to be your biggest flaw, but hey, no hard feelings. Adjusting to having all of us around can be a challenge."

I nodded, understanding the weight of Poppy's words. "I apologize. It's true, it's hard not to lean on Isidore when she has been the form I've used for most of my life."

Poppy's tone softened, offering reassurance. "No need to worry, Aggie. This situation is just like the test you faced before. Celeste dropped a hint that pointed you in the right direction."

"Reflect the mirror?" I questioned, seeking clarity in my approach.

Poppy chuckled, her voice carrying a hint of excitement. "Not just one mirror, my dear. You need to reflect all of them."

Determined, I extended my hands, drawing upon the radiant power of the sun. With focused intent, I directed the shimmering magic toward one of the mirrors, watching as it shimmered and flickered with amplified brilliance.

"Good," Poppy affirmed. "Now, do it with all of them."

With Poppy's words fading, a sense of anticipation hung in the air. I adjusted my stance, positioning my hands to the side and slightly turning to the right.