Last Spells of Light

Chapter 1.1: Emperor's Emerald

Many centuries ago, there was an Evil Emperor and five mages: Light, Darkness, Ice, Fire and Mind. The Five overthrew the Emperor and spread the knowledge of magic over the world. Light cursed whoever had the blood of the Emperor to be unable to use magic. Mind then betrayed the other four by attempting to kill Light. He was exiled for this betrayal.

Eislyn looked down at the streets as she walked away from the Emperor's Aid building. You don't want people to know you're from there. She gripped her backpack in her right hand. Too many thieves on this street, she told Gwendolyn. As they walked, Eislyn bumped into a man.

"Sorry!" Eislyn apologized like a yelp. She felt the man's warm and large left-hand attempt to steal something from her school jacket. It met the very wet texture of ink-mixed slime. He flinched from the cold as he barked, "Watch it!" As they left each other's sides, Eislyn's torso turned back to slip her right hand into his coat pocket. She felt some leathery and pulled it out. To her luck, it was a wallet.

Gwendolyn looked at her in concern. "He might have needed that, you know," Gwendolyn told Eislyn. "I don't tolerate fellow pickpockets," Eislyn took out her coin purse and transferred the money from the wallet to it. "Also, why?"

Today was a free day. This was the day Eislyn and all the other children in Emperor's Aid would do whatever they wanted inside the building—reading books, watching television, or cooking with the assistance of Marietta Sue. Eislyn's roommate, Gwendolyn Frienda, annoyingly attended magic lessons with the rest of their class. Even when she, like all the other children of Emperor's Aid, is incapable of magic.

"Well, Susan is there. I don't want her to be lonely," Gwendolyn answered. For the first time, Eislyn and Gwendolyn went straight from the street of their building to the school. No one was there, of course. "So, I will be a third wheel like always when you and Susan are together?" Eislyn asked. Gwendolyn pursed her lips and stayed silent. "I could have been reading," the grey-haired teen said.

"How are you even masking your disability there? The reason we, descendants, don't go to these magic lessons is that we can't use magic," Eislyn reminded Gwendolyn. Gwendolyn's ocean-blue eyes glanced at Eislyn, worried. They closed in on the theatre sidewalk, where a long line covered the street, blocking some stores off.

Gwendolyn switched focus to some people in Ice Champion merchandise with large signs. "Go, Ice!" she exclaimed to be joined by the fans. Eislyn glared at her, "It's a rule not to watch magic." "In the building, but the magic school always has it on the television. Ice always has a lovable competitor," Gwendolyn smiled.

Eislyn didn't try to pickpocket anyone there—too many witnesses. "Which side would you root for?" someone asked. "Uh– I dunno. Mind?" another replied. Gwendolyn glared at the person, and a few others went silent. She and Gwendolyn continued walking. When Gwendolyn mentioned Ice, Eislyn immediately knew the other three sides would be Fire, Darkness, and the one she hates the most Light. Mind was never going to be part. If the Emperor's bloodline was evil, Mind was worse; they were traitors.

Eislyn's eyes turned back to the sidewalk. Mind. Awful people. She should've inherited the Emperor's blood instead.

"Some people don't pay attention to History," Gwendolyn scoffed. Eislyn snapped out of it. "You failed History in the semester this was taught," Eislyn reminded her. "It's common knowledge anyways," Gwendolyn answered, carelessly. "Then why did you fail?" Eislyn asked.

After the next turn, Gwendolyn stopped and handed her a blue pill. "What's this?" Eislyn held it in eye level and blankly followed with, "Are you doing—"

Gwendolyn shoved a hand over Eislyn's mouth. "SHUSH! I don't want anyone to think that! This is just to give us access to magic for around three hours—the exact amount of time that the class is," she explained. Eislyn removed the hand, "Wha- why didn't we just use this the entire—"

"Why do you have to be so loud, Icy!? It just can't be used again for another year," Gwendolyn explained while shoving her hand back at Eislyn. Gwendolyn removed her hand while Eislyn looked at the pill. It was just familiar.

"Why aren't you showing magic?"

Oh, Eislyn thought, That's why it was familiar. "Gwendolyn, I'm al—"

"Swallow it already; we're already late," Gwendolyn said after swallowing hers. Eislyn looked at her for a moment before sighing. She placed it in her mouth and hid it in her molars. Maybe I could just bite on it later if I panic, Eislyn thought.

Gwendolyn dragged Eislyn to the door. They entered, and she continued to pull the grey-haired girl. The two soon reach the classroom. Their homeroom teacher, Ms Mariester, was the leader of this place as well. "Gwen! You're later than last year," Ms Mariester chuckled, "Linna! I didn't think you would be here!" Bright colours, Ms Mariester's clothes, toys; It was like a kindergarten classroom for Eislyn.

"Susie!" Gwendolyn immediately ran to Susan Lycoria, like how Eislyn described it. "So, Ms Rubiana, where would you like to start?" Ms Mariester asked her. Eislyn's dark blue purplish eyes jumped from each part of the classroom. From performative magic to plant magic, conjuration to combat.

When was the last time she would have ever used magic? Like, almost a decade ago. "Uhmm..." Eislyn didn't want to join Gwendolyn and Susan at the plant magic station; that would be awkward. "Uhm... Performative magic?" she answered. "Oh! Such a wonderful station! Would you need help?" Ms Mariester asked. Eislyn did, but the thought of Ms Mariester realizing that her top student barely knew magic would be humiliating. Too bad that enchantment was illegal. The 'Emeralda Anti Enchantment Act' and everything. Eislyn would've been the best as the descendant of the creator of the bloody magic.

"Which one is the Performative magic station?" Eislyn asked. Ms Mariester pointed at a part of the room that people ignored. It was like an arcade game. "Maybe I just need to know how to use it," Eislyn answered.

Ms Mariester showed her how it was done. Pressing a button will show two options of visuals or sounds. "Which one do you want to do?" she asked. Whatever's easier, Eislyn thought. "Visuals?" Eislyn chose. The woman pressed the option and asked for the difficulty. "Easy," Eislyn answered with no hesitation. It was easier to fake that than any other.

The others looked hard to fake knowledge. Plant magic, growing plants. Conjuration, making those shapes in the farther corner. There was a glass window on the floor to show that the basement had people fighting with magic. Obviously, combat magic.

Just act like you're trying a new part of magic out, her mind told her. She was, after all. Ms Mariester picked the option, "Alright, now just start making the illusion of whatever shows up on the screen." The woman then went back to her chair.

Eislyn stood there for a moment. There was a star on the monitor. Just make the star, her mind told her. She imagined the star in her mind and—

A man entered the room. Everyone froze and turned to him. "Is there an Aislyn Emeralda?" the man mispronounced Eislyn's name while looking at a paper. She accidentally moved her head while he spoke. The man walked over to her. In her head, Eislyn swore repeatedly.

"Hello there," he bent down to speak with her, "Are you Aislyn?" Eislyn shook her head, stepping on the button that deactivated the machine. The man looked at the paper once again, then turned to Eislyn. "Hmm... you look close enough. Are you lying?" the man asked.

Eislyn flinched. Such familiar words. "No," Eislyn simply said. "Well, dear, you look very similar to Ms Emeralda. Do you know her?" the man's eyes started to glow red. Enchantment magic.