Shadows of a Broken Past: A Shard of Faith (Book one)

Chapter 5:

Gem looked out over the hills, whispering to herself. Her eyes were glowing a deep violet and she gripped her staff in her hands, trying to fend off an incoming storm that threatened a blizzard to her home. The wind was already howling and anyone could see the sheet of white from the incoming storm moving over the mountains and coating the forests in white. 

"Mistress?" Her apprentice, Emery, asked, stepping forward, tapping her wand against her hand, the emerald-tipped wand spurting little magic sparks. "Is all okay?"

Gem whirled around. "Quit tapping your wand like that! It disturbs my magic field!" She snapped. "Emery, you've studied magic for the last two years with me. You should know that using your wand in that way interferes with any spells in the nearby area. And it drains the magical power of it, and weakens your spellpower while you're active!" Classes were over for the day at the academy, and Gem was out with her student and apprentice, Emery. 

'Tyrant.'

Emery took a step back. "M-my apologies, Mistress." She stammered, looking down and pushed her boots into the pile of rocks at her feet. 

Gem blinked, stepping back as well. "Sorry, Emery." She said. "I let my emotion get the best of me." She shook herself, tightening her dusky green overcoat around her shoulders to block out the rising wind. 

'Weakling.'

Emery sighed, rubbing her arm and putting her wand in her cloak pocket. "Worry not, Mistress." She said. "It is my fault. I was....being inconsiderate. It seems that happens quite often." She laughed nervously and unsteadily. 

Gem sighed as well. "Go home, Emery. It's the end of today's session." She said, rubbing her eyes. "And no, you aren't inconsiderate. Sometimes we make mistakes, and that's okay."

"Are you certain, Mistress Gem?" Emery asked. "I'm more than willing to stay at your side like a studious apprentice-"

"Go, Emery of Greeneharold. Go." Gem said, cutting her student off. "I must ward off the storm." She waved her away. "Go home to the house of Greeneharold, your family. It'll not be a safe journey home if you stay out into the storm." 

'Loner.'

Emery frowned, but she bowed respectively. "Yes, Mistress Gem. I shall head home." She looked back up, not straightening and instead peering at her teacher through her bangs. 

"Good, Emery. Stay safe, make sure your family greets you well." She paused. "And also, check on my cousin for me should you see him. I haven't had the chance to say hello since his honeymoon." She motioned for her to rise. "And none of that. I teach, but I learn as you do."

"I will, Mistress." Emery smiled at her, straightening up. "Try to be safe out here, Madam." 

"I will, Emery. Now run along. Good day."

"Farewell!" Emery called, turning and racing down the hill, holding her wand tightly as it glowed to guide her along the path down the mountain, as the sky darkened from the storm closing in. 

Gem sighed. "Curious little one." She said, turning back for the storm incoming. She raised her staff, the magical amethysts beginning to glow brightly, as well as her eyes shining a deep violet as before. 

"Storm be banished and light the path, seek an end to all this wrath!" She chanted, the violet glow from her eyes matching the gleam from her staff, and it grew and grew, brighter and brighter. 

The winds whirled around and a loud whistling came past her, and Gem put one hand on her hat to keep it one her head. She looked up after a moment as a wave of frigid air swept over her and was met with a sudden pounding of water as rain poured over her head. "No!" She cried, the shine fading swiftly. "What- what is going on?" 

After a few seconds the rain turned to heavy snow, then sleet. It was blinding. Gem looked around in a panic. "Shield rise!" She shouted, and a protective barrier rose around her, barricading her from the raging blizzard. 

The wave of frozen rain mixed with ice and snow was clouding everything in a thick blanket of white. You could barely see a hand in front of your face through the flurry. The wind was no better, pushing in from every direction and causing the snow, rain, ice and sleet to fly every which way. 

"What have I caused?" Gem wailed. "What has happened to me?" She looked down at her hands. Her braid has a red streak running through it, and she covered her mouth. 

'Do you see now what happens when you're disobedient?' 

Gem froze from shock. "W-who?"

'A Stag, darling. A Stag.'

"Who are you?" Gem shrieked, the world getting a red tinge. "What stag?"

'A Great Stag, my dear. I am Exor.'

"Exor? You mean, Xornoth's....controller?" Gem asked. 

''Controller' is a bit harsh, wouldn't you say?' The voice said, and a bitter wind blew over the wizard. 'I would rather say 'commander', 'confider' or ever 'master.'

"'Commander' seems like an understatement." Gem fired back snappishly, spinning around. 

'Ah, I got a feisty one.'

"You're calling me feisty? You're the corrupted one!" Gem spat. As she ended her sentence, a stabbing pain shot through her skull. She cried out and fell to the ground on her knees, her shield failing and wind breezing past her, dousing her from head to toe in snow and ice and freezing rain. 

'Corrupted? My dear, if I am so corrupted, how come you.' Gem shrieked again and closed her eyes. 'Are.' She moaned in pain from the headache, collapsing backwards. 

'Mine.'

Her eyes snapped open. 

Bloodshot. 

Blood red. 

————

Sorry this took me so long to get out! I've had a lot on my plate recently: between a major science test and a project I had no forewarning about, I've been busy. But here we go!

And yes.

Corrupted Gem >:)

Leave me any feedback you have please!

-Quiet