Sweet Dreams

Silvermist felt her whole body freezing. It's not cold, she's not having fevers either; what strains her are the two people sitting quietly on the chairs next to the table between them.

They're in the school lobby as what it seems: numbers of tables and chairs. It actually looks exactly as what these new apprentices have in their former realms.

Few supposed students had arrived; nevertheless, none of them seems to care about their presence. They simply walk pass them as though they do not even exist.

Better, Silvermist thought. She doesn't want to talk either, so as much as possible, it would be best if she avoids any interaction with any of them most especially with the two persons in front of her.

Both are looking on different directions. They look confused either. They, of no doubt, have probably just arrived, visibly observing everything and everyone in sight.

It was truly a massive school; more like a university of vintage people. Although the people around seem to know each other, none of them are initiating converstions.

It must be a thing here, Silvermist muttered to herself—better. Nothing seem to appear unsual aside from the thought that these people are also apprentices.

She glanced at Gail who looked oddly unbothered. Who would have thought, of all people, Gail also ends up as an apprentice and Cullen—well, it would be of no doubt if he was. The man is almost as perfect... naturally, which never in hell would Silvermist acknowledge.

"So—"

"Please no," Silvermist cut Cullen off right away with a vigorous sigh.

"I haven't even—"

"No thanks."

Cullen grimaced, finally had his eyes pierced on the woman who kept on rolling her eyes skywards, patently irritated.

"I don't have time for your bullshit, Silvermist!" He could only swallow half of his breaths to contain his frustration . "Look! As much as I don't wanna be around you, as you can see, I don't have a choice, do I?"

Silvermist turned and glared. "I guess we're sailing the same boat for the first time."

"That's a weird way to put it considering that—" he paused. Although his lips parted, no voice emerged. He cleared his throat.

"I've been looking for somebody else that might look familiar, but I guess it's just the three of us so..." He'd leaned closer to Silvermist, resting both elbows on the table. "Would you mind if we introduce with each other again?"

Silvermist didn't answer; she only stared at Cullen's eyes, probably reading words between the lines, but saw none. He must have been sure about the introduction and didn't wait for the other's approval before reaching a hand to Silvermist casually.

"Cullen Callaghan, Cloud's apprentice," the corners of his lips curved into an arrogant smirk.

Silvermist only stared at his hand and shifted towards Gail whose mind probably still in static. Disappointed, Cullen oh-so-naturally placed his hand down the table and turned to Gail as well.

She felt the tension and met their suspicious looks; dodged Silvermist's and chose Cullen's.

"Whose apprentice are you?" He asked.

"Zephyr," Gail muttered.

"The wind guardian," Cullen shrugged and once again looked at Silvermist. "Your turn."

"You didn't see him earlier?"

"I might have, but I don't have the faintest idea who is who. When I met them at the throne room, all of them almost look the same—"

"Wait! The guardians are there when you were introduced?" Silvermist almost stirred; she's confused and amazed at the same time.

Cullen leaned back. "As what Cloud had mentioned, that's the guardians' formality of introducing their apprentices to the Moon King," he glanced at Gail for confirmation and she faintly nodded. "No one's there when you..." He paused and waited for Silvermist's answer.

She shrugged. "The queen was there, but I didn't see the other guardians as well as the king—" she cut herself off when she noticed Cullen's visible confusion.

He furrowed his forehead. "When Cloud appeared before me, he mentioned something regarding a sightless apprentice who bore anguish and wrath, worse enough she had been blinded," Cullen had leaned farther back. "Could it be, you're the frost guardian's apprentice?"

Silvermist didn't have the intentions to answer. Her lips pressed together, stood up, and left.

Cullen's voice is ringing badly in her ears and Gail's presence is making her sick to her stomach. The bitch didn't act all mighty. She looked visibly vexed with their current situation and Silvermist is no different.

Momentarily, she needed to breathe away from the two; otherwise, she might probably go insane.

"Oh shit—" Silvermist exclaimed when someone bumped against her right when she turned right; it's a girl—a little girl for one.

"I-I'm sorry, ate," she muttered, almost in tears which brought Silvermist close to panic.

"Oh, n-no! It's okay," she hushed and forced herself to pat the little girl's head. "Are you okay?" Silvermist asked; however, seeing the girl's dress, she knew right away she's an apprentice as well which could only mean one thing.

Poor child, she thought, genuinely sympathizing. By how the way the girl looks, she's only around nine years old and it pains Silvermist, thinking that the girl underwent the same misery as she has, leaving her family to fulfill such tasks they never ask.

"I-I wanna go home to my mama," the girl sobbed, evidently keeping herself from bursting into tears.

Silvermist, be there nothing else that she could do, bent down to meet the child eye to eye.

"You will soon," she smiled. "But for now, you will need to stay here for a while until things have been figured out—"

"I'm afraid that's far from possible."

Silvermist gasped when a voice of a man cut her off. She looked to her right to see yet indeed another creature with odd hair color—crimson. It's as though a tapestry woven from flames of a forgotten sunset, cascaded in waves of molten copper down his shoulders, catching the sunlight setting it ablaze with every step he took towards our direction.

Walking along side him is a man who seem to be very familiar; nevertheless, she couldn't tell where they've met. Perhaps, in the quiet moments between waking and dreaming; when veil between reality and memory is at its thinnest—déjà vu.

Or maybe it's only because the man had different eye colors. For one, Silvermist remembered the disorder to be Heterochromia Iridum—and she has met one with the same condition far behind there memories could serve her right.

She couldn't take her eyes out of him and she's only been brought back into reality when the Crimson Man snapped a finger before her face.

"Great! You're back. Not new tho. He's really an eye magnet," he giggled, tapping his friend's back.

"I supposed you're new here and it's my duty to make the new ones feel welcomed," he extended a hand for formality.

Silvermist eyed it for a moment, before accepting a hand shake.

"My name's Ezekiel," the man introduced himself in a cheerful manner. "He's Sebastian," he shrugged to his right to where he stood.

The melancholic man didn't show any interest. He only blinked and looked away. Although the two wore the same Victorian suit as though they are noblemen, Sebastian's awra felt entirely different. Perhaps, his ebony hair made him appear intimidating?

Who knows?

Ezekiel took a step back and looked at the girl who rushed, hiding behind Silvermist.

"And you've met Adeline," he smiled. "She only arrived last night and we couldn't get her to come with us. The circle we belong only consists of men so..."

Sheepishly, he scratched the back of his head. "You're the first person she seem to trust, so can you take her to your care? Just for the mean time until the room leader decides who goes with who."

"What do you mean?" Silvermist had to ask. She doesn't have the faintest idea what's going to happen, might as well ask the first comers.

"All apprentices of all ranks gathered here for who knows how long," Ezekiel stated. "They've been trained to perform their tasks accordingly; however, things will change as soon as the four-apprentices shows up."

Silvermist secretly bit her bottom lip. Truly, the four-season guardians have been playing a very crucial role in regards with Earth's balance since the world began and oh how she could only wish she's not one of those guardians' apprentices.

She didn't know how Frost's and her situation could affect the entirety of the balance they have been maintaining; afterall, she came to know what are the right things to do. Perhaps, all she could do is wait and figure things out.

Focus on your goals, Sil, she whispered to herself and turned to Ezekiel.

"Your warm welcome is very much appreciated, Ezekiel. My name is Silvermist," she beamed.

"Such a lovely name," the man matched her tone. "And whose apprentice are you if you don't mind?"

Silvermist's mind raced with conflicting possibilities, each one pulling her in a different direction. She shouldn't tell him, right? Cullen's reaction is enough for her to picture herself being placed in a tight situation. Perchance, being a sightless apprentice will only cause her troubles in such a prestigious-looking phrontistery.

"U-Uhm some a-average sorcerer," although stuttering, she had heaved a sigh of relief when she remember what Frost had said.

"Oh haha," Ezekiel giggled. "Might not be closed with other yet? Don't worry, we'll get there and I'm afraid I'll have to excuse myself now; still have to welcome the other new-comers."

He waved goodbye so as Silvermist—where'd be go? She almost winced in surprise when Sebastian disappeared into thin air.

"W-What on earth was that?" She mummbled, which the little Adeline overheard.

"You don't know teleportation?" She asked in a soft and small voice; Silvermist could press her lips.

Hold it together, Sil. You've seen much worse.

Adeline walked in front of Silvermist and how the way she looks at her, it seems that the little girl is trying to read what's in her mind and she couldn't help but get spellbound.

Adeline has eyes which looks like pools of amethyst beneath the soft glow of light. Their hue was a mesmerizing tapestry of violet and indigo, drawing gazes like moths to a flame.

"You're the stained one," Adeline spoke as her pupils dilates into different shades of purple.

Silvermist got too enchanted that Adeline's words went pass her hearing. She only stood there, staring at the child's hypnotizing eyes.

They held a depth and mystery that spoke of untold secrets and hidden desires, captivating all who dared to meet their gaze.

"Be very careful," Adeline held Silvermist's hands to wake her off from her enthralling eyes. "You must never fall deeper into wrath, Silvermist. Otherwise, you will wake something inside the sleeping Frost."

Silvemist didn't understand anything which slipped out of Adeline's lips and before she could even realize, she's already gone.