Healing (End of Prologue)

Enjoy moments you never thought you could. Enjoy the smallest moment and cherish the rare moments. Console those closest to you. Fall on those you trust to pick you back up stronger. - Phynx Nyx, Journal of a Thousand Journeys.

-=+=-

"Control the flow!" Eleusis yelled in the background. It was hard for me to hear, I was too focused on the blazing pain in my hand, it felt as though it was on fire. Skin began to peel showing the magic flow leaking out uncontrollably.

"Andromeda!" Eleusis rushed over and grasped my hand, "Hold for a bit."

I bit my lip, I was hurting so much. In my mind, flashes of my past played out before me, haunting me. Staring back at me was an accumulation of myself in the past. "Who are you?" The voice of the many past versions of myself cried out, "What have you done?" I stared in horror as the voices began to consume my mind. Then suddenly I was pulled back.

"Andromeda," She hugged me, "Thank goodness you are back." I fell into her arms, tired and scared of what I just experienced. I began to cry, the memories of that time I try to suppress, a family I never had, a life a lead that oppressed others. Eleusis held me there waiting for me to calm down, the god truly had the patience for others. After a while, I regained myself and stood up. "Thank you Mother for caring for me."

The goddess smiled warmly, "Dear it is my job to care for you, come sit down let us discuss what happened."

I sat down in the grassy realm next to Eleusis, "Why did that happen to me? I used to be able to perform normal magic just fine." I questioned the goddess.

She sighed, "I should've realized before that your magic veins are twisted."

"Magic veins?" I had no idea what they were, it is not something normal magic users learn. We normally learn that magic comes from our inner strength and that when we channel it, magic just flows out of us through our limbs.

Eleusis tapped my head, suddenly lines stretching over my body appeared, "These are magic veins, they connect to your Realm of Enlightenment." I touched my body trying to follow the veins that led up my neck and presumably my head. "These pathways can be tangled if you have clouded judgment, leading to unstable magic use."

I stared at my veins in frustration, but then I got an idea, "Can my meditation help me improve this." I smiled willfully.

The goddess shook her head, "Meditation can only help so much, you have to face yourself, your pain to recover, talking to someone can help you improve this."

I thought for a second, "Can I talk to you then?"

The goddess smiled, "Try talking to someone who is not immortal, I can only sympathize so much. Someone who has gone through similar experiences can help you recover faster."

"This is a new place, I don't know many I can talk to about this." I hung my head, feeling lost about how to pursue this matter.

"Let us take two weeks for you to figure out how to solve your problem, take the time you would usually use to train with me, to build your relationships!" The goddess patted my head, "Goodbye my daughter."

"Goodbye, mother," I began to wake up from my slumber to find myself in hall, not taken to bed this time.

I look around to see Demeter up against a pillar, asleep. I walk up to her not knowing what she was doing here still, then I remembered she waited for me last time as well. I felt conflicted about what I should do, 'Should I wake her? I don't know where she lives so I can't carry her home.' I decide to go to the side room where Cleo was to ask her, but when I entered I found that she was asleep as well. Going back to Demeter defeated in my attempt, I sit next to her not knowing what to do. I stared at her face, brown hair was common in this part of the continent, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who wasn't, her hair was so long, it had a texture look to it as its curls weaved through one another. Her face was cute, when I first met her, her eyes shined deeply into mine.

Perhaps staring for too long she finally started to wake up, she looked in the direction I was previously sitting but noticed that I was no longer there. She looked to her side to see that I was sitting next to her staring at her. "You awoke earlier than I thought." She pointed out

I smiled, "There were complications with my magic veins." I wondered if she knew what those were.

She nodded, "I see that would slow down your progress."

"You know what those are?" I thought people don't learn about magic veins until they grow in rank.

She nodded, "It is part of the main curriculum in Zeke, well for those that will pursue magic anyways."

"Cleo said I would join the Academy in a month or so, can I join sooner," in the academy I could not only learn magic but also gain relationships with others.

"No, it usually takes a month or so to get registered, for it might be a bit quicker." She stood up and stretched. "Did the goddess give you any advice on how to fix your problems?"

"Yes, she said to be open to people about my fears," I also stood up.

She looked at me, "You could talk to me." She was a very open and honest person, independent, but can't take solace in others.

I was afraid to talk to someone I barely knew, even though Demeter always seemed to help and wouldn't judge, I didn't know how much I would have to tell to get over this. "I don't know, I wouldn't feel comfortable talking to someone I just met." I decided to be honest in return.

She chuckled, "Why not get to know someone, I don't talk to many people." She smiled slightly, "Perhaps we could help each other," she let out her hand.

I grabbed it and shook, "Deal!" I smiled with glee.

"Okay Andromeda, how about a nickname?" She asked, "Andromeda is a nice name, but something between the two of us could bring us together."

I thought for a moment, "I don't know, not many people are named Andromeda."

Demeter looked up, "A-mei?"

"Amei?" I twirled my thumbs, "That sounds good!"

Demeter nodded in satisfaction, "Now choose one for me." Her finger was tapping her hip.

"How about Dee?" I cocked my head to the side.

Her finger tapping slowed down a bit, "I like it!" She smiled a bit more. "Now," She walked to the center of the room, "Let's clean this room!" She snapped her finger and suddenly the broom, dustpan, and duster were summoned.

My eyes widened, "A Void-weaver?"

"That's right, I can manipulate space and time, though my power right now is limited to space," she gestured to me. "Let's get started!"

She used her power to reach high places and since she was controlling a few objects she couldn't move around too much or it would strain her thought and her power of space would fail. I handled the floor-sweeping up dirt and mud that was brought in from the shoes. We spent a good hour going around the church cleaning up each room. I would pass her sometimes messing with her because I knew she couldn't move, teasing her was fun in the tiny moments.

The night slowly turned to morning and a new day with new goals would begin.