Eternal Souls

Chapter Two

Hazel woke up just in time to get to breakfast.

Stifling a large yawn, Hazel avoided the other girls in her dorm room as she pulled herself from bed and started to brush her hair into a more tamed shape beside her small dresser, which was tucked at the end of her bed, which was the lower bed of a bunk.

"Did you leave after dark last night?" A girl asked, fully dressed, and giving Hazel a look. "I heard you came back at midnight."

"Yeah?" Hazel said, shrugging as she placed her brush down. "It's nice to have some fresh air at night."

"Lucky..." Another girl scoffed, joining in on the conversation. "All because you're friends with that guy, Azeas."

"I heard he teaches advanced Majyk lessons, with Mr Ambrants." the first girl grinned, turning to Hazel. "Too bad you can't be in that class with him!"

Hazel's face went red as her fingers curled on the wooden dresser. The girls laughed, opening the dorm door and heading out. Left in the room was Hazel and two other girls. One left only a half a minute later as Hazel angrily got dressed, and the remaining girl quietly put away the book she had been reading. She stood up, and started over to Hazel's dresser, giving her a very small smile.

"The class is boring anyway, Mr Ambrants doesn't like Azeas teaching, so he usually leads it." She said quietly. "I'm Ren. Talk to me if you need anyone, ok?"

"Oh, alright..." Hazel blinked, her head still only half poking out from her shirt. Only a few people offered that, most of them ditching her only after one conversation or after they beat her in a competition. "Mr Ambrants.. As in Kelusis?"

"Is that his first name? Cool..." Ren frowned. "I'm sorry about them, I only really talk to them so I don't go insane in this dorm. Their stories are entertaining. It's also a good way to know what's going on around the Children's Home, they're such gossips."

"I'm Hazel." Hazel said, offering her hand. Ren took it gently, and gave one firm shake. "So you're a training Kindre?" Hazel asked.

Kindre were proper Majyk users, which was what most people trained to be in Ansmari. Hazel didn't talk to many properly classed Kindre, other than Azeas. She was in the lowest class of Majyk training, so everyone she interacted with about Majyk were usually not adept with it either. All the same, they still were able to pass while Hazel failed over, and over again.

"Yeah, I mostly study Mind Majyk." Ren smiled.

"You look like you would be good at it." Hazel murmured, making Ren laugh.

Ren had obvious signs of her gifted nature in Mind Majyk. Her light ginger, straight hair, cut in a very clean bob, pale freckled face and watery blue eyes, were key features many Kindre of the Mind had. It was always well known that those sharing Majyk with their god would host one or more of their physical features, almost as a pledge to them. This usually followed ancestry, meaning Ren's parents must have also been Mind Majyk users.

"If you had Majyk, I'd guess Vitore." Ren smiled. "Goddess of Growth and Plants."

"Thanks." Hazel smiled back awkwardly, embarrassed that Ren was confident enough to just mention her lack of Majyk as if it was nothing. Hazel thought for a moment. Ren hadn't yet left the conversation, and her strange reaction to Hazel was promising. Hazel needed someone to sit with, since Azeas was busy quite a bit, and by sitting alone, Hazel was more susceptible to being picked on by other kids. "May I sit with you during our break periods?" She asked.

"Of course!" Ren grinned. "I'm sure Koji will like you."

"Wait-" Hazel realised as Ren ran over to her dresser, grabbing her book and dipped out the door. "Who is Koji-?"