Chapter 2 - Light Force
"But instead?"
Iris' eyes turned to the little girl, watching her sitting in the crowd circling her from the rock where she was standing. The engrossed little girl was tightly holding onto her pigtails, each hand respectively, as she stares at Iris.
Iris matches the girl's height. "But instead... sorrow swallowed her every being."
The little girl gasped, as well as the other children. Iris noticed how the amazement in their eyes vanished with her story's change of course.
She calmly went back to her seat and looked at the children one by one. She continued, emphasizing every word she say. "Fear crawled from the tip of her toes up until her heart dyed in blue, darkening it even more.
"Little by little, the darkness in her heart turned to something else. This time, it turned into the shade of red, but darker and bolder. Can anyone tell what does it means?"
"Oh! Oh! Me, me!" A thin young boy raised his hand and answered. "It means she got angry!"
Iris nodded in agreement. "Indeed. She can't accept the fact that fate intervened in her life again. She knows fate had something to do with this. She blamed fate for attracting the school's attention, making them notice her.
"And here comes disappointment, it ended with a hollow in her now, pale heart. She started throwing daggers from fate to herself. From questioning fate, she questioned herself, her existence. Why? Of all people, why her? And of all minds, why hers? Why can't she see the world like they want her to be? Whose fault is it?
"Does she have no other choice but to just accept it? How about her new life? How about her mamá and papá? Her home? Those people who still needs her?
"How about her..."
The children turned silent. They glanced at each other, silently asking someone to say something. Iris can see the hesitation in their eyes as they roam their eyes. As if by doing this, the help they seek will come.
Iris smiled, grabbing the children's attention as she stood up.
She stepped closer to the children before she kneeled in front of them. She looked at the little girl with pigtails. "Give Iris your hand..." Though still hesitant, the girl reached for Iris' cold but soft extended hands. Iris smiled even more, making the girl and the rest of the children smile as well.
"You have a very beautiful hand." Iris complimented as she traced the lines on the girl's open milky white palm.
The girl blushes by the sudden compliment. Iris chuckled. "Wanna see something fun?" She nodded.
With Iris' free hand, she started writing something on the air. After a few seconds, a faint silver light appeared at the tip of her finger, following her every move.
"Wow..." the children echoed in unison.
"This is called Light Force. Every mage has it. It takes color, shape and sometimes a life of its own." Iris started, moving her hand even more freely. "The appearance of a mage's Light Force takes form and unique magnificence depending on its owner's level of magic." she started writing on the little girl's palm.
She wrote an enchantment using an ancient language only mages could understand. "Iris' power, her Light Force is still very weak. That's why once Iris started attending school, she could train her magic, strengthen her foundation, and climb the rankings. She'll be more powerful. And once that happens, only then Iris could be of more help."