The Warlock

9: The First Task

The next morning Asteria was avoiding Basil at all costs, dreading the moment she was going to see him. She had skipped breakfast, afraid that he'd be there, and ran from any crowded hall in fear that his lanky figure might be there. She had made up her mind to help him and had already told Pythia about her decision, while returning the scrolls in the morning, yet she couldn't bring herself to actually voice it in front of Basil because it was going to be the final one, and that was too scary.

Asteria finished her last class for the day, happy that she managed to avoid him for the better part of the day. Despite not eating the whole day, her appetite was non-existent from all the nerves. The girl slowly made her way through the corridors towards the Headmistress' office, ready for another class that was meant to help her improve her seer powers. As she reached the office safely, she let out a breath she didn't know was holding in.

Asteria opened the door to find Pythia seated behind her desk as always, going over paperwork. It had become a standard procedure for the girl to quietly sneak into the seat in front of the Headmistress without her acknowledging her, while finishing her work.

"When do you plan on telling him?"

The girl's eyes grew in size, startled she'd been caught in her activities.

"I will when I see him. I haven't seen him today," mumbled the blonde.

Pythia didn't respond. Instead she put aside the stack of papers and opened one of the drawers behind the desk, taking out the ball from the first time they spoke.

"I think it's time to return to practicing your focus. And your job is to find out, using the ball what Lucifer's first task is." Pythia got out of her seat. "You'll stay here until you do it. I'll be back shortly."

With that the Headmistress snapped her fingers and disappeared in a haze of smoke. Asteria took a deep breath, something she was doing a lot this day, and closed her eyes. Her hands circled around the crystal ball, her mind cleared of all the worries, trying to focus on the task at hand. The ball began to glow a soft blue light, filling inside with dark smoke like the first time Pythia used the ball to test Asteria's abilities.

Basil's first task ... Basil's first task ...

A sharp pain ran through Asteria's head.

"You need to concentrate more. You are using too much force."

Somehow Pythia had returned to the office without a sound, this time a steaming cup in her hand.

"There's a second one, it'll help with the headache you're about to have."

"How do I do it?"

The Headmistress returned to her seat behind the desk. She put the mug down and spoke softly:

"Close your eyes. Now you need to truly empty your mind. Clear it off of every thought just like when you meditated yesterday. Feel the energy passing through you." Pythia brushed a hair that had fallen in front of her eyes. "It feels like water flowing through your skin. Imagine that you direct that energy towards your palms. Steady and easy. Open your eyes."

Asteria did what Pythia asked of her. The crystal ball was completely black. Images began forming in the smoke, but before Asteria could make anything out the dark smoke disappeared. She had broken her focus.

"It's more difficult to concentrate on a certain thing you want to learn about rather than just focusing on the broad future," commented the Headmistress. "Again." With that Pythia disappeared once more.

The girl rubbed her temple and got back to her job. She could feel herself getting more and more tired the more she tried to focus on the energy's flow. She always got to the part where the ball turned black but couldn't hold it for longer than a few seconds.

What felt only like hours later Pythia returned, carrying two plates in her hands. Asteria lifted her head from the desk. A pain like thousands of little needles was shooting through her temple and chest.

"I think I kind of got it," murmured the girl.

"Well, I'd hope so. It's time for your morning classes," replied Pythia.

Asteria's eyes widened. She didn't know how this could be possible. She couldn't have been in the office for the whole night.

"It goes the same way as meditating. Kind of like a trance where time is irrelevant, it all just flows in and out," explained Pythia. "I know you're tired, so I've warned Flavian that you won't be attending your morning classes, so you're free to head back to your room and rest." Pythia paused for a second. Asteria could swear she saw the ghost of a smile on the woman's face. "You deserve it."

Asteria left the Headmistress' office and made her way over to the Fate Tower. Right before she was about to climb the stairs to the tower somebody called out her name. Asteria's half closed eyes were met with bright blue ones.

"You look like hell. And here I thought that you were avoiding me!"

"Um, I was doing something but ahh ..." Asteria leaned and whispered in Basil's ear, " I know what the first task is. Meet me after lunch at ... Oh my!"

Basil pulled her halfway through her sentence to an empty broom closet nearby.

"What is it?"

"You're so impatient, dammit. I didn't sleep the whole night and you couldn't wait three hours," complained the girl.

She took a deep breath and looked up at the boy's face.

"Okay, have you heard the legend of the Golden Apple?" Basil shook his head. "So there's this tree in the deep forests of Hismae that every century creates only one golden apple and each time this big creature, a lamya, steals the apple. We need to kill the lamya and keep the apple safe."

"You're amazing! So how do we get to the forests of Hismae? Actually where even is that?"

"I don't know but it can wait!" Asteria narrowed her eyes. "I want to sleep."

With that she left the broom closet and quickly climbed up to the Fate Tower and into her bed, dreaming of slaying dragons and dark forests.