Crimson Oasis

✧ ii. ✧

Night had fallen upon Saikra; cicadas sang their songs in the bushes, activity in the town began to cease, and all the lights were on, in every building, in every park, in every street. Music flew from street to street from the homes of partying kiroccos.
Kari gazed out her window at the rest of the town below. Her borough was high up in the dunes which gave its residents a stunning view of the rest of the town, along with some of the desert beyond. Leaning out the window just slightly, she looked ahead to the ruins of what once was a borough. Just a couple hours ago, she was practising parkour with her friend group there, and had finally managed to make the jump she couldn't make before. Every time she thought about that, pride and confidence would circle her mind, and she'd smile to herself, knowing that she was only getting better and better at parkour.
But what constantly bothered her was the powerful electric-like pulse that crossed her muscles while she was midair. As soon as the thought revisited her mind, she gazed down at her auburn wrists, examining them, as if she expected the sensation to rush through them again, or for something exciting to happen.
This lead her train of thought down another track.
Tomorrow was the Goldarts Ceremony for Siraka. Every month, they host one for kiroccos that turned sixteen during the respective month. Kari had turned sixteen on the eight of Siraka, so she was due to attend the ceremony in order to receive her Goldart Bracelets.
Just the word Goldarts makes her jump a little in excitement each time she hears it; magic had always fascinated her, ever since she was a little baby. Now, just the thought of being able to use the magic herself made her even more excited about the ceremony, and her patience was slowly draining away from her like water in a bathtub.
With a confident look out to the distance, Kari stepped back and slowly closed the window. She smiled at the thought of having full control over her own magic and wondered what she would do with it once she had learned all the known spells off by heart.
She glanced up at the clock on the wall. 11:40. I should be going to bed now.
Kari stepped away from the window and slid into her bed. Grabbing the blanket she tucked herself in and lay her head in the pillow, letting it sink in slowly. She then turned to her bedside table and raised her arm from beneath the covers, glancing at her wrists again before switching the light off.
And, with the exciting thought of receiving her bracelets, she closed her eyes and let sleep engulf her and drown her in mysterious dreams.