The Apprentices

"When I said I was ready to face the consequences, I wasn't expecting to be being imprisoned," Silvermist grimaced, lifting her head up to look at Frost on the other side of the cell.

She swayed her bare feet on the freezing, crystal floor, waiting for his explanation. Sitting on a crytal prison bed, she sought.

Truly, she has been stripped off by the castle female servants and has been forced to dress like a prisoner. Even so, the gray Victorian night gown suit her better than the one she was wearing before things got a lot more complicated.

"I apologize, Sil. I didn't know," those were the only words he could say and he's been saying those since Silvermist has been thrown inside the castle dungeon.

He sounded regretful and Silvermist could see right through his ocean eyes.

"Mother, the queen, had seen darkness in you, thus, commanded for you to be purified before we can become one," his explanations had gone a bit longer, but Silvermist still couldn't comprehend—aside from the words become one and it amuses her.

"Darkness, huh," she snorted. "I've always had it for as long as I can remember, the reason why I don't understand why it has to be me. I could tarnish a divine such as yourself. I better be off gone."

Frost's lips went thinner and thinner. He couldn't think of a possible way to flip the conversation over. He knew she was right. Now that he lost his staff, the only way for the seasons to get balanced is for him to be one with his apprentice as soon as possible; nevertheless, as what things are looking like, rushing things will only make it worse.

A divine could never be one with darkness otherwise, inevitable danger, without a doubt, will occur—and Frost had a nightmarish origin.

What? Not even the king himself couldn't explain.

However, if they do not bustle, Periwinkle can easily unwind her web and will get the upper hand against the balance the guardians are maintaining.

Frost sighed. "I've waited for so long to finally meet my person, do you actually think I'd just let you disappear?" He bent over, caressing one crystal bar. "Besides, apprentices are only born once, if I lose you, I'd look so uncool in front of my brothers, so no thanks."

Silvermist looked rather touched or disappointed. She must have thought Frost only held onto her for the sake of his image, but who cares anyway? The fact that deep inside, she wanted to live, she thought of just playing along.

"So, your brothers already met their apprentices?" She asked, truly interested.

"Well, our older brother, Cloud, has. The others might also find theirs soon and I am hoping that we can already be one by then," Frost said full of positivity. "You will help me with that, right?"

"I supposed, but how are we supposed to do that? I mean, the purifying thingy."

Forthwith, Frost's expression grew somber. "Purifying requires too much from the subject as they have to overcome their rage and in order to do so, they have to remember every single thing that made their hearts dwell in darkness."

Silvermist's legs stopped from moving. "Are you implying that I have to undergo time manipulation... Again?!" Her voice went loud that it echoed throughout the empty halls.

"No," the corners of Frost's lips curved. "You see, our realm also has a school intended for apprentices like yourself. You will be joining them in order for you to overpower the darkness within you."

"Apprentices... Like me?" Silvermist pointed herself. "You mean apprentices like me or apprentices like me, me?" Her eyes batted, trusting Frost's intellect to catch the sense of her question.

"Apprentices like you, you," he beamed. "Guardians are not the only ones who have apprentices. Sorceress and other entities have, too; however, guardians' apprentices are on a different rank."

Frost leaned even closer. "In human terms, apprentices like you falls under S-Rank, followed by A, B, C, D, E, F, and others who doesn't even fall to any ranks. Yes, apprentices like them exists too."

"Our youngest sibling, Periwinkle, is supposed to be a guardian, but she turned to be an apprentice instead, aren't you wondering?"

"Honestly, I don't care anymore," Silvermist crossed her arms. "All I want is for her to pay for what she did to me. I'd never forgive her for playing with my feelings and the lives of the people around me."

"Let me tell you something about revenge, Sil," Frost let out a soft giggle and stood properly. "It requires power and power comes from knowledge. For you to land a strike on a former guardian, you must know its origin first. Until then, stay meek,and quiet."

Silvermist, although evidently fighting the urge to speak, didn't respond. She knew Frost is right. After all, what does a guardian do not know?

The future? She highly doubt. If they can manipulate time, knowing the future will not be so hard.

"Fine, but how long do I have to stay here? When will the purifying occure?"

"Probably tomorrow," Frost scratched a brow. "You will also meet other apprentices who will be in the same class as you."

Her chin rose and her brows drew down. "Alright, but I really don't understand why they have to imprison me. It's not like I'll go berserk. Besides, they're letting me go tomorrow. What's the difference?" She studied the look on Frost's reaction and saw hesitations.

She waited, but no signs of answers; she rolled her eyes. "Fine, if that's too hard to answer, then forget it."

Frost grinned. "I'll tell you some other time. For the mean time, you need to sleep well. A new journey awaits for you tomorrow."

Silvemist looked at the empty cell as she caress the cold and hard bed. "I highly doubt that."

"Oh, let me fix that," Frost raised both of his palms, clasped them together and mist started emerging from who-knows-where.

Silvermist gasped as she watched the anomaly happening before her. Slowly, those mists turned into soft pillows and mattress, and a warm blanket—ironically.

She turned to look at Frost in surprise. "H-How in the mother fu—" she swallowed the curse word before she could spit it out, heaved a deep sigh, and smiled. "Wow!"

"That sounded like an insult," Frost grimaced.

"What? After all that had happen, I think it would be eldritch, weird, BIZARRE, if I still ask," she quoted with her fingers in the air.

"Yeah," still plastering a suspicious look on his face, Frost sighed. "My servants will take care of you before dawn and I'll come by then to fetch you."

Silvermist nodded; she didn't want to pry much as she had too much for today. Frost could hardly give her an answer to why she's been thrown into the dungeon; she thought finding things on her own would be a better way.

"Until then."

Those were Frost's last words and he vanished into thin air before she could even look. She ended up drooping.

"Unbelievable," ordinarily, Silvermist would have thrown a tantrum, but recalling the only reason she know why she's inside the cell, she chose to lie down comfortable.

She's indeed amazed how mists could turn into actual bed appliances 'cause as far as she knows, Frost could only control frost.

"It's a world of magic afterall," she mumbled and fell into deep slumber.

Truly, as what Frost said, she has been waken up by three female servants, different from the servants who stripped her off last night.

No one could describe the horror on her face when she's been stripped off once again and got thrown in an unimaginable huge hot spring. The water smells like Jasmine and lavender, and it felt entirely satisfying that Silvermist grasped into a nearby stone when the servants forced her to dress up for breakfast.

After couple of back turns, splits, and aggressive twerking, finally the servants successfully got her out.

"What?!" Silvermist snorted when she saw them glaring at her. Currently, the three are standing on her right while she eats now in a respectable room which Silvermist finds overwhelming.

The place is as bright as the day. She couldn't figure out where the light is coming from. Clearly, the chandenlier above her is not turned on.

It was weird, for her at least. The castle is undoubtedly huge and her eyes couldn't explore everything as she walk towards the room she's in currently.

Now her, being thrown into the dungeon once again became a question at the back of her mind—he's evidently hiding something serious, she thought to herself as she didn't have the faintest idea. Whatever!

Just when she finished eating, the door opened and there stood Frost. Cheerful dyed eye azure stared at her.

"My timing is good, right?" He asked, sounding so excited and it shows in the small hops he did until he reached Silvermist's side.

He looked at the servants and gesture to leave which they did; they offered a respectful bow and exited the room.

"Eh?" Frost gasped in disbelief when he met Silvermist's emotionless eyes when he turned back. She stood up and stared at him even deeper.

"It's a new journey remember? Why are you looking so sullen?"

"That's because you smiled my smile and yours, so I wanted to be mulish instead. Great way to start an awful day."

"That's clealy an understatement, but well..." Frost offered a hand in between. "Shall we go?"

"Don't ask as if I have another choice."

Frost grimaced. Silvermist's attitude went a little worse. He watched her shrug into her pearly white priestess clothing, the sound of her heartbeat nearly overpowering, she's apprehensive—ah!

Frost smiled and reached to her hand instead. "You have nothing to worry about, I'll be with you forever."

Silvermist's eyes shifted from Frost's left eye to the right as though she's reading behind his words.

"That's so cheesy, I could smell it," she sneered. "We better go."

"R-Right," Frost said almost in a panick.

Silvermist expected for another long walk, but again, she's with a guardian, and with just a hand compass, they have come to appear in front of enormous walls with enourmous double gates.

She had seen The Great Walls of China and it was truly huge, but these walls are huger, she could gasp mentally.

"Welcome to Azure," Frost introduced warmly, holding tighter onto Silvermist's hands. "This is where you will learn how to control your abilities, sharpen your skills, and supress remaining wraths."

Silvermist's eyes batted as she looked around. She's aware there are people everywhere and that her vision has been blinded against any entity because of what she has done. It's quite annoying, but had to accept things.

"Hey, I told you, you don't have to worry," Frost faced her, holding her other free hand to where the mark is. "If you need me, all you have to do is to call me."

The mark glowed in a split second. Silvermist sighed. "But what am I supposed to do? I couldn't even see the other apprentices."

"Hmm?" His brows raised, looking around. "You can. They're just inside because you're kinda late. Classes starts before dawn."

Silvermist's eyes squinted when a ray of sunshine hit her eyes. "Oh."

"Better go now," Frost beamed, letting go of her hands. She nodded and headed towards the gates to which had oppened as though they have motion detectors.

Again, Silvermist had seen enough; such would no longer amaze her.

Everything was all fun and games not until the door fully opened and two familiar persons welcomed her at the entrance. They look as surprised as she is.

Silvermist's legs froze on their own; shoulders rose and dropped as her eyes grew in circles. Her throat dried—quivering, she turned to Frost, but he's no longer there.

"I'll be with you forever, bullshit!" She whimpered, almost in a groan.

"Sil?"

Silvermist's nose scrunched when the person she expected to see the least in such a magical place spoke. Be there nothing she could do as she didn't want to look stupid and awkward as well, she turned back to face him—them.

"Cullen..." She forced a smile and looked at the woman beside him. "Gail," she sighed. "Such a lovely surprise."