Kaitara's Locket

The Mistress turned to face her lessers, draped in black. "You are positive?" the sweet tone a mask for her true persona.

"Yes Mistress, the girl has limitless power," she paused briefly, "The forbidden hallway is still scorching. Those who touch the walls can feel the heat pressed through it."

"Hmmm..... Past-Mistress Kaltriana of Fire was the last one to give off such power!"

"Yes Mistress, she is more that just a nivice. She might possibly be the next Mistress of Fire."

"I agree, but she must go through the novice classes. The girl has yet to control her power." The meeting went on in the depth of the tower, as two younglings talk in the mist of their sleeping savior.

Michial smiled at the door to Eve's and Scarlet's room. Inside slept Scarlet, tucked deep under the covers.

He was unsure what she had done in the forbidden hall. All he truly knew about the incident was that she told Eve and him to run ahead. When she came back Scarlet could barly stand. She said they were safe.

When Scarlet told of their saftey, MIchial immidiatly told her to go to bed. She seemed too fatigued.

He was still curious beyond belief, yet Michial didn't want to push her too hard.

"Are you listening to me?" Eve said irritated, "No your not!" she whined.

"Sorry, I was thinking."

Eve gave a I knew it snort.

"Has Scarlet woken up yet?"

"I knew it!" she whined, "you like her better!"

"No, no, that's not it." he put his hands up trying to calm her down, "She just needs our help at the moment."

"She doesn't need my help. She just wants all the attention."

"I doubt that."

"Go ahead, I don't need you! She didn't do anything!"

"She saved our lives!" he started to get annoyed.

"Yeah right! How do you kow she didn't just wait a second, then run back?"

"She selflessly went back for you when, if they did get there, they would have killed you!" he growled.

"Oh, yeah, how convenate that she came back unscathed." she rolled her eyes.

"She came back about to faint! How can you be so insensitive!?" he had to hold back the urge to strangle her.

"She doesn't care about me! No one does!" Her eyes retreated to the floor, "Anyway," her eyes shot up, "Why won't she say what went on? I mean, wouldn't she like to take some credit?"

"I... " struggling for another come back, "I don't know." his eyes fell as his voice softened.

Past the door separating the sleeping from the bickering, Scarlet slept.

She was still weak from the.... what did she do in that hallway?

Scarlet's dream was just a repetition of the scene. The fear, the hope, the pain. She kept on seeing the inferno blase down the hall, and the voice pleading in her mind.

It seemed so real, the dream. All of the smells and colors drifted her further into her mind.

The only noises she heard was the beat of her own heart and the soft tapping of her feet on the floor.

Her body was losing strength. The legs that carried her slowed her to the brink. Her breathing deepened, heavier and heavier.

Something in her subconcious told her to be wary, but why?

Scarlet, get out of your dream, NOW! Wake up! Idaia pleaded.

Not truly knowing why she should, Scarlet tried to pull herself out of the dream.

It didn't work.

NO! Let me out! She struggled to push and pull her way out of the dream.

Nooo! she yelled at nothing, in her mind.

All of a sudden a thought popped in her mind.

Scarlet emptied her mind, filling fears and thoughts into a single flame. She fed everything into it.

She fought the fear that tried to escape, wrestling it to the ground.

Scarlet called upon the need, to escape her mind. Drawing the need to go into the fire, the flame grew larger and larger.

The void in her mind filled with a flame so large that the void was forced to expand.

Fear left her, pain left her, all emotion left her.

She was surrounded with the void, the flames, the fire. Scarlet was filled with one thing, need.

The flames grew so lare that it bursted. Warmth from the flame shot up her spine, and ignited her mind.

Scarlet threw open her eyes and lifted her body.

She could feel warmth radiate in her body. She could feel the flames still there, floating in hermind. The warmth calmed her, yet she let go of the flames. Something in her told her she had to.

Scarlet brushed the covers aside and lept out of bed.

Looking down at herself, she was still in her robe from last night.

Grumbling, Scarlet looked into the closet. Mistress Altana told her that new robes and dressed would be delivered to her room.

Nope, not here yet.

Creaking open the door, Eve and Michial's bickering were easily overheard.

"Huh? Why won't she tell us?"

"By the Mistresses! I don't know! he sounded stressed out, "I know she have a good reason for not telling us." He seemed desperate to believe that.Scarlet cleared her throat, drawing attention to her.

Eve's snicker was apparent on her face, but when Scarlet said, "Do you know if my cloaks have come in yet?" it seemed to fade.

"Those ugly cloaks were yours? Why, I told them to send them back. Most novices seem to get better. I though they were for servents!" she chuckled slyly.

"Don't listen to her. She shoved them under your bed." he shaked his head, "She has been looking for someway to get back at you for last night." Eve blanched.

Scarlet nodded and turned to Eve, "Don't worry about it. I'm not mad."

How dare she! Eve thought. Why should she have a reason to be mad at me?

Michial stood outside of the room, while Scarlet, changed shaking his head. Eve seemed to be trying to start a flood, yet Scarlet's dam was too thick.

The door sqeezed oped a moment later, Scarlet stood with a ruby red cloak wrapped around her.

He had a hard time not gapping! Scarlet no longer seemed fearful and innocent. Instead, she seemed strong and courageous, like a mouse to a hawk!

Scarlet curled her hair behind her ear. She was nervous to her toes! Idaia enjoyed tormenting her with secrets! Just a moment ago she had said, Keep well, child. Give yourself to the tower and you will be strong, but keep from the tower and you will be destroyed. You are young, child, yet always remember that the young are harmed as well. The secrets hidden in these walls will destroy you if you no longer are careful.

Idaia knew more about the tower that most should, that was easy to tell, yet Scarlet's heart asked her, why.

"Are we going to see the Mistess of Light or not?" Eve's hands landed on her hips, snapping Michial and Scarlet out of their train of thought.

"Yeah, I guess we should." Michial agreed reluctantly.

Scarlet followd after them listening to the voice in her head.

The Mistress of Light is not one to stay in the background, child. She will ask you, 'why did you waid to long' or something along those lines.

What should I tell her?

Child, say anything that will allow you to hide the truth. You were afraid posibly, or maybe you thought it was nothing.

I better go with fear.

Yes, that might be wise.

Do you think I can do it, Idaia?

Do waht, child?

Lie to a Mistress.

Child, it is a must, not a can I.

Scarlet nodded once. Not sure whether she like the awnser she was given.

Eve yawned. This was boring! The MIstress of Light was even more fun that Scarlet girl, and she never even smiled!

And what was with that locket she was always touching?

Eve always had an unusual talent of feeling items of rare power, but this locket radiated something she had never felt before.

The problem was getting that necklace away from her. Scarlet seemed to grip to it for dear life.

Eve knew the locket must have some hidden power, but she just didn't know what. She was positive, though that she wouldn't leave her alone until she knew what that necklace was.

Scarlet sighed inwardly. Idaia seemed the only person she could possibly trust, but even that was hard to do. Idaia had too many secrets hidden underneath the unpenatrated surface.

How is it that Idaia can know so much about everything? When she isn't even a part of Calar?

Interrupting her thoughts, Eve said, "Oh, come on! I know rocks more fun!"

"Huh?" Scarlet blinked looking at Eve.

"Mistresses wake Scarlet! Darkness, you not here!"

"Light Eve, watch your toung!" Michial exclaimed.

"See who's speaking." Eve rolled her eyes.

"Come on you two, stop it!" Scarlet was getting annoyed at their senseless bickering.

Eve and Michial stared at Scarlet, blinking.

"Um, yeah, we just need to continue down this hallway. The Mistress of Light is right down their." Eve changed the topic quickly.

"Let's go then." Michial said, and they walked down the long, dull hallway quietly.

They came to a silver set of double doors. Scarlet was and imprint of some bird flying, dancing within the silver

Scarlet watched Eve walk up nervously to the door, knocking three times.

Becoming nervous with each minute that passed by, she heard Idaia in her head.

Do not be afraid, child. Just remeber to curtsie and be polite.

Thank you, Idaia.

Child, I will always be here for you.

I know. Scarlet felt internally grateful.

The doors cracked open. In the center of the opening stood a woman wo could match Idaia for hieght. She stared through her dark eyes, one that could make Mistress Altara shiver.

"I am Mistess Jasinyco of Light. Who disturbs me?"

Eve gave a deep, formal curtsie.

"Ah, Daughter Eve of Night. What harms you?"

"Mistress Jasinyco, my friend, Daughter Scarlet of Fire wishes your help."

"Has she appeared her to stated the cause?"

Scarlet gracefully bent down in a formal curtsie, "I am Daughter Scarlet of Fire, my Mistress."

She looked Scarlet up and down, "So you are. What brings the youngest novice to my door?"

"Mistress, yesterday going to my room, I had a hard time breathing. I almost stopped altogether."

The Mistress's eyes sparkled in astonishment, bot only for a second. "You dodnot appear before this, why?" S

carlet brought her eyes to the floor, "I was afraid, Mistress Jasinyco. Afraid of disapproval."

"I see. Come, come. Inside. Daughter Eve of Night, you and your friend," she pointed to Michial, "should go back to your rooms."

"Yes Mistress." Michial and Eve gave the proper farwells.

"Now follow me, Daughter Scarlet." She followed the Mistress through the doors.The room was huge with silver walls and a deep, ocean blue carpet. The bed in the far back center of the room had and iron structure, Blankets ontop the bed matched the color of the carpet perfectly. There were tapestries of that strange bird with a backgraound of blue.

The room held a large table, desk, and chairs surrounding both. A magnificant amount of light burst into the room.

"Now," the Mistress Jasinyco turned to her, "I hate all of the formalities with this job. When we are alone call me Jhasin."

"Thank you, Jhasin."

"Scarlet, you should not have survived that incident. You know that very well."

"Yes I do, Jhasin."

"Scarlet," she placed her hand on Scarlet's shoulder, "I want you to come to my room every evening after novice classes. There is a reasin you survived, and I will find it." Scarlet sat down in a comfortable chair at the table. "Calm your mind."

It is okay, child. Scarlet nodded and forced her thoughts to smoothen out.

As Jhasin felt the girl's thoughts calm down she started to probe her mind. The inticate pattern inside anyone's head was difficult to read, yet just turned daughters hand the hardest of all.

Jhasin felt the wall of Scarlet's mind. It was soft and new, the feel if it. She could sense a gentleness which did not surprise Jhasin.

All of a sudden she was drawn to a dark hole. The pit seemed to be a blockade of some kind.

Jhasin went to the hole. This was not the mind of a daughter just turned. No novice seemed to have an emptiness, but a wault instead.

Placing a hand up to the dark hole, Jhasin felt a lasting sword of pain.

She back away in an instant.

Her body was quivering incessently. Jhasin retreated from the girl's mind. Not quite sure the affect this would have on Scarlet.

Scarlet's normally blue eyes were a cear white as she appeared in a trance of some sort. Jhasin shook Scarlet, trying to take her out of this trance.

A warmth fell on the girl's body. It increased as every second passed by. The heat was unbearable, making Jhasin move away.

The mistress's eyes fell to the gorl's hands. They were blazing in a heated glow landing on the far wall.

What was happening to the girl?

With a yell of deep agony fire jetted out of her fingertips.

Scarlet's eyes reverted back to its normal hue. For a moment she got up with a puzzled expression on her face, then fell back into the chair in a faint...