Chapter 3: A trip down memory lane

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  Throughout the story, thoughts are placed in between single quotation marks.

Let's shift our attention back to the frail little thing, currently lying in a crib, utterly baffled by both the symbol above her and the many confusing thoughts twirling around within.

As the baby turned her gaze to the side she saw a mirror conveniently positioned – as things in stories generally are – right next to her cradle.

That very instant the child's eyes stretched wide and she let out a frightful shriek.

Ah again, the reader must think her rather odd... well she is quite odd indeed.

Nevertheless, I shall explain why the poor creature uttered such a dreadful scream.

What the child saw was the color of her hair and eyes.

The reason this was so unsettling for the girl is because there was a character inside the book she had presumably read who also had pink hair and pink eyes.

Conveniently, as things truly only ever are in stories, this baby and the character within this so called book also share the same name – Alythia.

Yet the girl's life inside the book turned out as quite the tragedy.

She was born into the Ashwrith family as a Wielder. However, her mother died shortly after giving birth and her father went mad following his wife's passing - or at the very least, that was the tale that circulated far and wide.

He would often shut himself up for months on end, and the only person he allowed to step inside his study was a close childhood friend who had also recently lost his wife.

This friend of his had a child - a boy around Alythia's age.

The two men would spend hours inside her Father's study – conversing in inaudible whispers.

The girl never could understand exactly what they were so secretive about.

Be it as it may, the original Alythia, as the story goes, continued on even under such unfavorable circumstances.

As she grew in stature her father's disgust for her seemed to grow with equal measure.

The more the child resembled her mother, the more her father distanced himself from her and from all affairs related to her.

Eventually, after his death, she was taken in by relatives who unfortunately did not treat her any better.

Yet, after turning 16, the girl was finally able to escape her family' grasp.

In the beginning of their 17th  year all Elites are required to enter Elysium's Elite Academy – because yes dear reader, inside this world of magic there are schools for these sorts of things.

The academy is situated in the center of the country where all students reside for two years until they graduate at age 19.

Graduates then move on to form contracts and enter guilds – which are groups of Warrior-Familiar pairs that embark on quests together.

However, poor Alythia – damaged as she was – meddled in the dark arts during her academy years.

The story, that which our current protagonist believes to have read in a book, made the original Alythia into a villainess whom the prince, a black haired golden eyed boy named Blake, and his guild, eventually defeated.

Though the Prince was not the one responsible for her death.

By that time the black magic within her had already eaten away most of her bodily organs so she died soon after the final battle ended.

Though the original story never did elaborate on how she got a hold of so many black spell books – since you know black magic is illegal and all that.

Anyway, the prince of this so called book then went on to marry the presumed heroine - a girl named Ray – while Alythia was still very much... well... dead.

Such was the life of her namesake and such seemed to be the terribly ill fate awaiting her.

But again, let this Narrator not digress.

Our present focus is with the current Alythia, not with her namesake - known as little more than a fading memory from a book.

Now, unfortunately, I have not the time to delve very deeply into our protagonist's childhood as that is not where our story lies.

It is enough for the reader to assume that her life had been very much the same as the life of any other girl, who grew up with an absent father.

However, two very significant events set her apart from the above mentioned status quo, and are thus worth retelling.

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The first event starts when our protagonist reaches the tender age of 10.

Most of her time, up until now, was spent outside practicing magic. Daily she tried, with utmost effort, to improve her casting abilities as she assumed it would be her only lifeline - the one thing that could steer her away from the course of the original story, allowing her to effectively circumvent her doom.

On one particular day, a day much like any other, Alythia was walking past her father's study on her way to the garden for her daily training. She stopped by his door, noticing he had company.

"Ashwrith, listen to me, this is not the time for doubts" a voice faintly came from behind closed doors.

"I know" Alythia's father replied, his voice sounding heavy, as if laden with burden.

"Wait..." the voice hushed for a few moments, pondering. "You saw something, didn't you Seer?"

Her father sighed. "It's not the future I see, but mere possibilities" - the voice cracked, as if tears were threatening to burst forth.

"Then WHAT exactly was this 'possibility' Ashwrith? I can't help you if you don't TELL ME" the second voice retorted, with irritation deeply laced, but so desperately hidden, within his tone.

"No..." her father breathed, almost inaudibly. "She will not be a part of this, I swore it"

Just then, a loud crash came from the garden.

'Yikes' - Alythia thought, 'Best get out of here before I'm caught'

And with that she ran out the back door towards the sound, thinking it to be a good alibi. 'Rather caught breaking glass, than eavesdropping'

As she came into the garden and rounded the corner, she beheld the culprit.

A white dove lay next to a broken plant pot, clearly knocked down from the overhead balcony. Its left wing seemed to have taken most of the damage.

She pitied it, but at the same time felt it the perfect opportunity to try out her healing abilities.

She knelt down next to the poor creature,  and softly recited her spell.

Minutes passed... still no luck.

Alythia felt the sweat starting to drip down her forehead, but nothing evidently came of her efforts. A dim light clearly shone underneath her hands, yet the bird barely stirred.

Just then, a voice came from behind.

"What are you doing?" it resounded, tinged with both curiosity and dread.

Alythia turned around, lo and behold, there in front of her stood a boy with blond hair and piercing blue eyes.

She felt herself jump up in surprise.

"I was... um... well you see... I was trying to..." she stammered, attempting to shield the victim with her own body from any possible approaching threats.

The boy eyed her suspiciously, and breathed out a loud sigh.

"Move" he said, lightly pushing her to the side.

Alythia found herself blankly staring at him as he knelt down, held out his hands, and chanted a spell fairly similar to hers.

However, the light that flashed out from under his hands was blindingly bright.

His face contorted, as if in pain, but only for a moment until he regained composure.

Alythia was covering her eyes at the time and therefore missed the sudden changes in his expression.

When she reopened her eyes, she saw the bird up and about, quietly cooing before flapping its wings and taking flight.

"WOW!!" Alythia exclaimed, clapping her hands. "Where did you learn to do that!?"

The boy blushed, tugging at his hair in an attempt to cover his face from her piercing gaze. "My mother taught me, some time ago" he responded softly.

"Well I couldn't do it" Alythia said, crossing her arms and breathing out a deep sigh. "I tried for a bit, before you..." she stopped midsentence, clearly contemplating.

"Hey Hey" she excitedly added, clasping the boy's hands inside hers "do you think she can teach me too?"

The boy's face shot red, and he hurriedly pulled his hands away.

"She cant" he said bluntly, and after a moment's thought shyly adding "she left"

"My..." he started again, but hesitated briefly before continuing "my dad says she'll come back one day, but that's not possible"

Alythia blinked as she stared at him, and felt her heart soften. His eyes, to her, looked unbearably lonely.

"Well... maybe you can teach me then, if you wouldn't mind that is"

The boy looked up at her, but before he was able to respond, a loud yell resounded throughout the territory.

"FINE!! you SPINELESS WIMP, you'll come crawling back to me when you COME TO YOUR SENSES!!!"

Alythia peeked in from the backdoor and saw the back of her father's friend as he stormed out the study.

She glanced around, and caught sight of the boy's eyes.

It was filled with fear.

"I have to go", he said in between heavy breaths, "before he notices"

He turned, but paused before turning back to Alythia.

He whispered something underneath his breath but Alythia wouldn't make out what he had said.

And with a slight grin he hurriedly dashed off.

While Alythia was left, blankly staring at his retreating figure.