Amethyst 1. Inception ✓

22. An Icy Heart

The exhilarating opening match with Evermore had left the entire school in high spirits which hopefully would last at least till the next match. Elijah was back to being hailed, although he didn't seem to be nearly as cocky as before. The news of his break-up had spread like wildfire and somewhere deep inside me, I felt something close to pity for him. 

That evening, dinner in the mess hall was a raucous event. I sat with Nia and Aahan, preferring to be a spectator as many ridiculous toasts were made with glasses of flaming orange liquid. Orange juice with a hint of something less sublime I assumed. I couldn't help noticing, however, that Elijah was absent from the festivities. Having almost single-handedly destroying and then salvaging the match, he was the man of the hour, and I expected him to be basking in that glory.

Rarely had an opening match provoked such strong responses, pertaining, of course to the uncertainly dramatic outcome of the game that had been a roller coaster. I didn't have much time to celebrate, however, as the next evening, professor Everhart called me into her chamber suddenly after dinner. 

"Ezekiel!" she exclaimed. Her eyes shone with excitement as she continued, "I have finally found a place where there shall be fewer deterrents." She smiled as she gestured for me to follow her outside the chamber.

We walked in silence to the upper floor, where she led me into a vast, high ceilinged empty hall, much like her classroom but without the seating arrangement. We stood at opposite ends of the room as she called loudly. Her voice echoed around the empty hall, reverberating off the invisible crevices in the walls. "I will be unleashing a series of attacks. I need you to concentrate, and try to explore your powers from within."

I nodded at her, trying to focus my energy as I pushed every other thought away. The idea of wielding my powers again made me anxious as well as excited. 

 "Hold your ground, Ezekiel. If anytime during the demonstration, you feel particularly drained or need a break, say 'Guard,' and I will cease the attack immediately."

I nodded and closed my eyes, getting into a more comfortable stance. I spread my legs a little further to improve balance and took a deep breath, steeling myself. 

"Three...two...one!" she chanted. 

On command, I tried to focus my energy outwards. I struggled to discover the faint powers inside me, feeling a comforting but fleeting warmth. I was terrified I would lose it again like sand slipping through my fingers. But her powers were much stronger and in control than mine and I felt a heavy, invisible blow to my chest that knocked the air out of my lungs. 

The impact made me stagger and land on my back as a sharp pain shot up my body. Before I could get up, however, she unleashed a series of attacks, each more ferocious than the last, and I was soon cocooned in a tornado, binding me powerless. I hovered above, in the air, my heart in my throat as the horrifyingly familiar terror returned, trickling through the long healed gashes on my skin. 

"Guard!" I yelled, my voice muffled around the violent wind as the air around me ceased immediately, making me drop a few feet to the ground where I managed to regain my footing. 

"What happened?" she asked. "Do you need some time?"

I shook my head as the dreaded hollow filled my chest. The moment I had shut my eyes. I had felt nothing. "Let's try again. "

And so we did. And again. And again.

My body was soon too sore from the continuous attacks to go on. However, I was relentless. Frustration mounted as we continued, emptiness was the only thing I was feeling as I searched for a power that was suddenly elusive. 

Anxiety gnawed at my insides like an irritated fiend struggling to excavate its way out. The sheer lack of control over my powers was making me restless. Rendering me incapable of coherence and rationality.