Chapter twenty
She could’ve failed
Throughout Elizabeth's internship, Veronica made it a point to periodically drop by and observe the progress of the team. As Elizabeth focused intently on perfecting her shots and aiming her throws, she couldn't help but sneak glances at Veronica from the corner of her eye. There was sothing enigmatic about Veronica's expressions that intrigued and unnerved her. Elizabeth wondered if there was any lingering resentnt from their altercation days earlier, and she felt an uneasy tension in the air. With each glance, she tried to read Veronica’s mood—was she scrutinizing Elizabeth's every move, or was she simply observing with a neutral gaze?
Veronica’s expression was often inscrutable, yet in fleeting monts, the counselor's gaze would et hers, accompanied by the slightest nod—an encouragent that fueled Elizabeth's determination.
On the last day of her internship, Elizabeth’s heart raced with a blend of hope and dread as Veronica entered, clutching a list tightly in her hand.
The air crackled with anticipation, thick with the collective breath held by the interns.
As Elizabeth took her place among her peers, she prayed silently, hoping against hope that her na would be called. Minutes dragged on, each second stretching into an eternity as the soft breeze outside fluttered through the cracks, brushing against her skin, while scattered leaves danced to the ground. Yet ti inside seed frozen, the tension palpable.
One by one, the fortunate interns rose, joyously hugging their friends and erupting into triumphant cheers. With each announcent, Elizabeth’s heart sank a little deeper, her hope dimming with every na called, the gnawing realization digging deeper into her.
The feeling of inadequacy began to creep into her thoughts, whispering doubts about whether she had ever truly belonged, perhaps she had never been worthy enough to stay, rely another mont lost in a sea of talent and strength.
Despair threatened to consu her as she dared to lift her gaze upwards. Just as she teetered on the edge of hopelessness, contemplating an escape into the woods, she heard a na—a na that ignited a fla of hope within her.
Veronica's lips twitched as she uttered the final na, "Elizabeth Jordan."
Elizabeth could scarcely believe her ears. She rose from the ground and slowly approached Veronica, who returned a subtle smile.
"Now, the six of you, follow ," Veronica said.
Elizabeth followed curiously behind Veronica, who was riding a stout seahorse, into the Grand Cathedral. Inside, rows of wooden seats encircled a central area where a higher platform stood. A trapdoor was partially left ajar in a corner behind the platform.
Elizabeth's curiosity about what lay beyond the door was cut short as Veronica bypassed it, entering a spacious clearing at the back of the building, where a large golden-carved fountain stood. In front of the fountain, a group of winged beings awaited.
Upon seeing Veronica, they hurried to greet her. Veronica smiled and motioned for them to approach.
“To the Yggdrasil, I’ll inform the newcors.”
They nodded obediently and ford a straight line toward the fountain.
Before Elizabeth could even begin to grasp what was happening, they vanished into the shimring waters of the fountain with a soft, almost magical pop. "Hold my hand!" Veronica exclaid, her grip firm and reassuring as she intertwined her fingers with Elizabeth's. Without warning, an invisible force pulled them into the depths of the fountain. A rush of fear coursed through Elizabeth; she squeezed her eyes shut, the sound of a splashing wave reverberating like a thunderclap in her ears.
To her surprise, even as she realized she was subrged, there was only a warm, comforting breeze caressing her skin.
Then, as her feet found solid ground, she blinked in amazent, standing alongside her companions near a colossal tree trunk. It towered majestically before them, its gnarled roots snaking through the earth like ancient hands reaching for the sky.
“Let’s give a grand welco to our new mbers at the Soulblender Institute!” Veronica proclaid, her voice ringing with excitent as she gestured widely.
With a mix of trepidation and anticipation, the six newcors, Elizabeth among them, stepped forward into the vibrant clearing, their nervous glances flitted around.
Elizabeth's gaze was drawn irresistibly to the tree.
Wasn’t this the sa magnificent tree that had spirited her and Victoria away to the wondrous realm of Alfheim?The familiar sight sent a thrill racing through her veins, as if the universe were calling her back to adventure once more.
At that mont, Veronica addressed them, cutting Elizabeth off from her daily daydreams, "All of us here had activated our magical wings here, by the Yggdrasil. And today, it is your turn. Now I want all of you to listen carefully—when you kneel beside the Yggdrasil, it will activate your inner magic. After the blanket ca, press your entire palms against the rough bark. If the ground starts to shake, do not ever remove your palms. Do I make myself clear?”
All nodded thoughtfully.
“Well, then, form a circle around the tree and follow the instructions I have given you. Good luck!" Veronica instructed, snapping her fingers occasionally.
Elizabeth knelt beside the tree cautiously, as did the others. She could feel its gentle vibrations stretched through her arms. Soon, golden blankets began to fall over their shoulders.
Elizabeth felt a flicker of excitent as the warm, glittering cloth settled around her. At the sa ti, she felt a stir start in her inner side, sending the quiver of expectation all over her body. She closed her eyes and pressed her palms firmly onto the trunk.
The ground trembled violently, as if it was gonna split away and drag Elizabeth with it. She heard faraway screams echoing so loudly in her eardrums that it hurt as she struggled to keep her hands in place.
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The scratchy trunk under her palms cracked open, releasing boiling golden liquid. It was bubbling all over the place, and as her palms grew numb by the second, she lost control of them.
But she did know that her palms were sliding downwards, as if peeling away from the trunk, since she could no longer feel the tree trunk trembling under her hands.
Minutes later, her fellows all let out gasps of surprise as two majestic, white eagle wings erged from their backs.
But Elizabeth felt nothing but a blur over her eyes. Her entire swollen palms grew sore. And she felt a rush of dizziness, and an overwhelming stupor hanging over her body.
By the ti she heard Veronica's whistle, the heaviness of the blanket on her shoulders was suddenly lightened.
Elizabeth trembled and sank to the ground; ashes fell from her coat. She stared, horror-struck. And she didn’t need to ask to find out what had reduced to ashes.
Straightening up, Elizabeth gaped at Veronica, but Veronica was just as stunned as she was.
As the tree's warmth faded, Elizabeth glanced around. The winged beings whispered and pointed, celebrating the success of the others.
A wave of sha overwheld her.
Veronica coughed softly, and the crowd hushed.
“Good, all of you, well done.” Still, she waved at the newcors encouragingly, though her voice was oddly restrained.
"However," with a sharp snap of her finger, her tone turned serious, "as a mber of our society, you must complete a task to prove your spirit and courage. You will receive your first assignnt one week from now." She then motioned for Elizabeth and two others to follow her before turning to leave.
Silence and darkness enveloped her like a suffocating shroud, heavy and disorienting.
Penelope lay still, the weight of exhaustion pinning her to the ground.
She refused to wake, too weary to confront the reality that had beco a surreal nightmare.
Her sanity was unraveling, each thought slipping through her fingers like grains of sand.
She felt disconnected from her own body, as if she had beco a specter floating through a world that no longer held her.
With each passing mont, her surroundings spun into chaos, a fiery abyss consuming everything she once knew. Just as despair threatened to swallow her whole, a light pierced the darkness. A bowl above her head flickered to life, its brightness rising higher until it illuminated the space around her.
A screen materialized, casting an eerie glow across her face. A crossbow slid effortlessly into her grasp, the cold wood contrasting sharply with the warmth of her trembling hands.
The voice returned, dripping with malice.
“Shoot at the object.”
The command was clear but sent a jolt of fear through her. As if summoned by sinister forces, a vivid crimson apple glided into view, taunting her. Penelope's fatigue weighed heavily on her shoulders, each breath a struggle.
The weight of the bow felt burdenso, yet she reluctantly drew it back, her body responding as if on autopilot. She released the shot, her mind racing.
To her temporary relief, the apple vanished, a re hologram dissolving into pixels. But the brief mont of ease was fleeting; the voice demanded more.
Next, it commanded her to aim at a grapefruit, and then a piece of furniture, an innocuous branch, and lastly, a holographic bird swooping past her.
With each pull of the trigger, her heart raced, but she was left feeling hollow.
What might haunt her after each shot?
The voice propelled her forward, insistent and cruel. Then, within the shifting panorama, a chilling sight made her breath catch in her throat.
"You will remain there," Veronica said, indicating a small pearl hut near the flowerbed. She led them to this structure between the cathedral and a vast clearing.
Veronica handed each of them a turquoise pill.
Elizabeth gazed at her pill, it was glimring inside her palms. Noticing that she was supposed to ingest it, Elizabeth appeared hesitant.
She thought for a mont, then finally decided to bet on it. Shutting her eyes, she swallowed the pill in a gulp. Yet suddenly, a strange surge of vitality swirled within her body. Elizabeth felt a sudden churn of energy coursing through her.
Without her noticing, her hands tingled with vibrant green flas in a hush.
"Look at your hands!" Penelope exclaid.
Elizabeth observed her hands and was in shock to see erald-green flas flickering above her palms. She raised her hands aloft, summoning an energy bolt that soared into the sky.
"Good luck!" Yelled Veronica as she strode away.
"Terrific!" bead Percy as all three of them thrust their energy bolt hard toward the ground. With a loud bang, breathtaking beams of iridescent light soared from every direction, forming an incredible rainbow in midair; shimring in spectacular glows.
“Oh my god—” Whispered Elizabeth as she snapped her fingers; the lights extinguished imdiately.
Yet suddenly a gush of emptiness overwheld her.
She felt the flas were consuming her energy, and before she could prevent it, thick blood ran down from her nostrils, and she had to rest.
Dragging her exhausted body back into the house, Elizabeth threw herself on the squashy armchair.
Her gaze swept around the room.
Her breath caught in her throat.
Caribbean blue cushions were stacked in a thick blanket on the ground. Three plush armchairs occupied a corner, the ceiling was high, and a pearl chandelier hung overhead. The scent of seaweed perated the air.
Decorations of sapphire and silver adorned the room, with a large marble table at its center.
The others sat down awkwardly on the sofa, scanning the room.
Just then, the lady sitting next to Elizabeth broke the silence. Elizabeth suddenly recognized her—Emily—her deep sapphire-blue eyes were glinting with sagacity, and a pair of golden spectacles had been placed neatly on her hooked nose.
“Emily Jasmine." Emily said, smiling. She held out her hand, and the other two shook it.
"Percy Harrison." The man said with a yawn.
"Well, what do you reckon our task shall be?" asked Elizabeth curiously.
"I dunno, but it must be difficult, or I won't be sweating all day in my internship, you know, every night I was praying to be chosen. Do you know sothing about our task?” Whispered Penelope, turning to Veronica.
Veronica, who was folding her hands to her chest, listened curiously. Standing up, her erald eyes beaming.
"I wasn't given any heads-up.”
Elizabeth glanced down at her watch. It was nearly the crack of dawn.
"Let us rest," Emily suggested as she ascended upstairs to the second floor.
Elizabeth waved goodnight to her new friends. And she turned to enter her bedroom with the label 'Elizabeth Juliet Jordan' etched on the door.
Her room was small yet exquisite. A huge seashell stood near the bed, with silky curtains surrounding it.
A small fitting room stood near the restroom, with fantastic carvings decorating the walls. A sculpture of a spinning wheel stood quietly at the bedside table; it spun around by itself, weaving golden and silvery threads that turned into multicolored cloud nets that swooped overhead and evaporated in midair.
Etched on the sculpture was a single letter 'F'.
Inside the large seashell, Elizabeth found a single feather. Its fine strands shone in many colors, but what caught her eye was the golden writing along its shaft: 'Fensalir.'
Holding the feather up to the light, she marveled at the way the golden words danced in the air, as if teasing her with secrets only they knew. With a soft sigh, she carefully placed the feather back alongside the small sculpture that had sat nestled within the seashell.
As she gently closed the shell, a wave of uncertainty washed over her.
Could it be that everything—this delicate feather, the intricately carved sculpture, and the tantalizing possibility that she was a soulblender with unmatched magical prowess—was nothing more than a vivid illusion conjured by her mind?
The line between reality and fantasy felt thin.
Elizabeth smiled at the thought, a flicker of hope igniting in her chest. Closing her eyes, she let herself be enveloped by the soft, familiar embrace of her bed.
It felt grounding in a world that often felt chaotic.
At least for now, in this quiet sanctum, she was safe, and that sense of security was more than enough to ward off the lingering doubts in her mind.
But Elizabeth had no idea about what was waiting for her.
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