Thunder and Ice

Prologue

The bells of Keellon Orphanage tolled as the sun rose over the port city of Dalasea. Aurora Argent was already up, seeing as she didn't sleep as much as the other orphans. She set her book on the cheap wooden nightstand that she shared with the girl still in bed beside her.
She got up and ready for the day, combing her unnatural silver hair that the other orphans gave her shit about. She hurried up the tallest tower where she was to wait and mark down the number of ships and their allegiances as they came into the harbor. Strong winds whistled through the tower, and somehow, Aurora knew there was going to be a storm today, a big one at that.
At the top of the tower, there was a room, if it could be called that. It was made of stone with a large opening where the fourth wall should be. It was there that she would watch as the ships came into the port.
It was freezing cold in the late March air. Aurora wraps her thin blanket around herself before taking out her paper and pencil. It levitated in front of her and she marked the first ship that came in. Armali merchant.
She knew her gift meant she was not human, but the Empire of Laranfall was prejudice against others who weren't human, so she kept her gift a secret. There were footsteps coming up the tower steps and Aurora moved the paper down into her lap. One of her roommates, Lilian, appeared in the stairwell.
"Director Waldoral wants all the 16 Years to gather for a guest in the library," her voice was barely a whisper. Aurora stands and follows Lilian down the stairs.
Giggles of younger orphans follow them as they make their way to the library. The others that were their age were in a line in the hallway, chattering quietly amongst themselves. Aurora was an outlier amongst the others. Friendless, due to her hair and her overall unpleasant attitude towards the others.
They hush as one of the girls spread out of the library door. Her face was pale and she was rubbing her arm. Her friends gather and they whisper excitedly. The only word Aurora caught was "blood." A supervisor shushes them and shoos the other girl towards the kitchen where she probably worked. The line slowly shrinks and the noontime bell rings as Aurora walks in. There is a lady with raven black hair standing next to an odd box. Director Waldoral was sitting in a large wingback chair.
"This is Lady Kassaia from the Wayward Keep. She is here to test you and all the other 16 Years." He doesn't say what she is testing for.
Lady Kassaia raises an eyebrow at her silver hair.
"Put your hand in the box, all the way up to the elbow," Kassaia orders. Aurora kneels down and slides her arm in. Kassaia presses a button and metal squeezes her arm, preventing her from moving it. A spike of panic fills her body as she wiggles her arm. There is a prick in her wrist and she can no longer move her arm. Another button is pressed and something slices into her wrist. It cuts all the way up to her elbow. Kassaia presses another button and liquid fills the box.
Aurora screams when it reaches the cut. It was like acid. She could feel it eating away at her arm.
"Fuck," Kassaia breathes. She presses a series of buttons and the box falls apart around her arm. A big gaping hole was in the middle of her arm. Green and purple acid eats away at the skin. The world goes a little fuzzy. Kassaia grabs her arm and the skin knits itself together. She was magic too.
"We really need to find a better way," Kassaia grumbles. Kassaia helps Aurora to one of the chairs. She hands Aurora a glass of water and a chocolate bar.
"Have you noticed anything unusual happening around you? Seeing ghosts, levitating water, sparks coming out of your fingers?" Kassaia asks.
Aurora hesitates, taking another bite out of the chocolate bar to buy herself some time. Kassaia senses her hesitation.
"Mr. Waldoral, may you leave us for a moment?" Waldoral gets up and moves out of the library.
Kassaia turns back to her. "Is that better?" Aurora nods.
"I can levitate things and I can sense storms before they happen," Aurora shuffles nervously in her chair.
"A daughter of Zeus," Kassaia murmurs.
"A what?" Aurora asks, confused.
"Your father is Zeus, the King of Gods. You are a Demigod," Kassaia explains. Kassaia stands up and goes to the door, inviting Waldoral back in.
"I will be taking her back to the Keep to train with the other Demigods," Kassaia says.
Wadoral 's lips curl back in a disgusted sneer. "She can go pack her things and you can sign the paperwork," he says.
Aurora goes upstairs to pack her nonexistent things. A supervisor was sent to fetch her.
She walks out in time to see Kassaia taking off her skirt, revealing trousers underneath.
They walk. As soon as they were out of Keellon's gates, Kassaia turns to her.
"Are you okay?" She asks.
Aurora nods, preferring silence. They continue walking towards a field a few acres away from the orphanage. And that was a dragon sitting in the flax. A large golden dragon.
"Come on." Kassaia was already sitting on the neck of the dragon, right between the shoulders and neck. Aurora approaches cautiously. Kassaia offers her a hand and lifts her onto the dragon.
"Hold on tight."
The dragon takes off with one powerful flap of its wings.
"Her name is Amblio," Kassaia shouts over the wind. The height showed the towering castle in the middle of Dalasea, where all the royals lived. Sprawling hills of wildflowers and the occasional patch of snow sprawled to the west and south. The sea was to the east, cast a blinding gold from the sun. They're heading north towards the sprawling mountains and the Empire of Frostvale.
Amblio was fast, thrice as fast as any horse and we covered the distance quickly. A large castle-like structure comes into view. The Wayward Keep. We land in a large courtyard. Kassaia jumps off, catching Aurora in her arms as she slides off. An old lady walks out of the large mahogany doors. She greets Aurora with a handshake.
"Welcome to the Wayward Keep."