The Mystery at Trida Academy | Fantasmical 2023

The Blue Tattoo

"You know, I've been thinking..." Alaina said as they walked down the cobblestone street at the edge of the city. The streetlamps provided a nice, cozy atmosphere, though they didn't always provide enough light to see the ground. She told herself that was the reason she found it hard to look him in the eye, and not because of what she'd been turning over in her mind: maybe it was finally time to get her mark.

Every elf in Alaina's village received their mark once they successfully mastered their element's magic, usually on their fifteenth birthday, though a few, like her sister, got it earlier. Since Alaina had never mastered any magic, she'd never gotten her mark. But she'd been improving so much recently that she finally felt like she deserved it. She explained it to Cole, who thought for a minute.

"A tattoo?" he asked.

"I suppose."

"I know just the place." Cole said. He led her down a narrow alleyway of stairs. Then, he pulled her into a small shop with a faded wooden sign. An elf with a piercing in the tip of her pointed ear was sitting in a leather chair, at the far end of the room.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"I'd like to get a tattoo..." Alaina trailed off. She was just glad that this woman was an elf; it meant she wouldn't have to explain exactly what she meant.

The woman looked up and studied Alaina critically. "How old are you?"

"...Seventeen." Alaina admitted.

The woman raised her eyebrows but thankfully remained silent. Even the worst magic users usually got their mark before their sixteenth birthday. She led Alaina to the chair and went to get the required inks. Cole left to run a quick errand.

When she was done, Alaina looked down at her arm, tracing the fine blue lines that represented the magic in her veins. She met Cole outside.

"It's nice." he said when he saw her arm.

"Thank you." Alaina said. She noticed his eyes were glowing in the dark again.

"It is." someone rasped over her shoulder. Alaina turned and had to fight back a scream. A translucent young elf was staring over her shoulder.

"Who are you?" she asked, voice shaking.

The strange elf grinned with teeth that seemed much too sharp.

"What are you looking at?" Cole asked apprehensively.

"That little girl." Alaina said, pointing. Cole looked down at the space next to her, then back up to her, his brows knitting in concern.

"Alaina..." he said. "There's no one there."

"Of course there is." Alaina insisted. "Look!"

But even as she said it, she saw the girl wave and start to fade away.

"She's gone." Alaina couldn't believe it. "But she was right there!"

Did Cole really not see her? She'd been so clearly there. He studied her for a minute. She wondered if he was going to think she was crazy.

"What did she look like?" he asked finally.

"She was just a kid, wearing a sundress...and she was transparent."

"Yeah?"

"You really didn't see her?" Alaina asked.

Cole shook his head.

"You don't believe me." Maybe she was going crazy.

"I do believe you." Cole said.

"Why?" She wasn't sure she'd believe her.

"It's because of what's happening in Trida Academy. The curse has brought back the souls of the undead."

Alaina just stared at him. What curse? Was that really what all of this was about? But before she could ask him any of her questions, three muscular-looking men stepped forward. They were all transparent. But that didn't make her feel any better when they drew their swords.

"What? What do you see?" Cole asked, looking wildly around.

"Uhhh...three guards." Alaina said finally.

"Guards?"

Alaina nodded, taking a step back. She wasn't really sure that a ghost's sword could do her any harm, but that didn't mean she wanted to find out. And the steely eyes and bared fangs told her that if they could hurt her, they certainly would.

"Don't go to Trida Academy." the left-most guard said.

"What?" Alaina blinked.

"Don't go to Trida Academy." the guard repeated.

"Alright..."

"Are they talking to you?" Cole asked.

Alaina nodded, only vaguely aware that he was standing next to her.

"What do they look like?" Cole called out.

"Transparent. And with very long swords." She backed up, looking from one blade to the next.

"No, I mean, like mist?"

Alaina considered it; she supposed it was possible.

"Use water magic!"

Alaina realized what he was talking about. If they were mist, they'd be water; she'd be able to banish them by dousing and flooding them out.

She pulled the moisture out of the damp air, channeling it towards the geists. They didn't even slow down; they walked straight through the wall of water as if it were air.

Then, it dawned on her; they weren't mist, they were smoke. She'd have to use air magic. Fortunately, there was a light breeze blowing through the alleyway. Alaina concentrated on it, amplifying it until it was a gale. Then, she directed it towards the sword-wielding phantoms, hoping this would work. If it didn't, she might get to find out just how much damage an ethereal sword could do.

Fortunately, the rush of wind blew through the specters, distorting and dissolving them. She didn't even try to calm the gust until the geists had dissipated completely.

"Are they gone?" Cole asked.

Alaina just nodded, leaning up against the wall.

"You did it!" He rushed over, pulling her towards him and wrapping her in a hug. He pulled away slightly, looking down at her with concern in his deep eyes. "I was worried about you."

"I was worried about me." Alaina said letting out a shaky breath. Cole laughed, a rich, beautiful sound. Then, he leaned down and kissed her. Her heart beat faster, and she felt her knees buckle as she pressed her lips into his. She looked up at him, hopping the grin on her face wasn't as silly as she feared it was. Then, she sighed. As nice as it was, they couldn't wait around here forever.

"You know they'll be back, don't you?" she asked. Cole nodded.

"You can't banish a spirit by just blowing it away like that." he agreed.

Alaina sighed. "We have to go to Trida Academy."