Kismet’s Tale

      Natalya started her day with washing herself up. She covered her breasts with her left arm, then walked to the bedroom’s bathroom where she cleaned herself. After taking a bath, she faced the mirror, and traced the hickeys around her collarbone, and applied powder on them.

She walked out of the bathroom, went to the closet, and wore her casual wear that was accompanied with a scarf. Natalya went next to the bed, covered her husband with the thick blankets and strode out of the room. She started at the great manor’s library that was ten twenty-five meters wide and ten meters tall, including the second and third floor of the library.

There were small children in the library heading to their partitioned classrooms. Waiting for Natalya was Elna and Elea. Elna was someone who grew up with Lady Elma after she was taken in by her maiden family. They had this somewhat strange tradition where their names would start with ‘El’.

“Good morning, Teacher!” Elea greeted, hands on her hips, and a big semi-graceful smile on her lips. Elna, who was on Elea’s right, repeated Elea’s greeting while holding on to Elea’s books.

The three of them headed for the private study room for Elea. Upon arriving in the classroom, Elna locked the door tightly, and made sure that none would hear or discover their secrets.  Elna held up her hand and placed a palm on the door. A ‘flower’ bloomed on the back of her hand, which then spread into this thin layer of light that covered the door.

“I see that you’ve done well, Elna.”

Elna turned and bowed her head. “It is through the Teacher's masterful teachings that I can be capable.”

Natalya nodded with satisfaction. She noticed Elea’s rather envious gaze. “As I said, the mastery of the bloom, the path of the Magi is that of growth. You are still a seedling my student, your mastery in this regard can be likened to how vast one’s root has spread, and through natural growth that one could become attune to the very spark that brings forth the ability to use such spark. Hastiness in learning the spark can be likened to stretching the roots before they could naturally grow, resulting in a tear in the very veins where the spark flows.”

Elea nodded with a pout. Natalya smiled at her. “You should be glad that you already have control despite being such a seedling. Although you can only conjure light and your attainment in the spark is limited because of your age, a well-nourished tree will grow tall and sturdy. So don’t worry about such things for now, okay?”

“Okay,” she obediently said. Natalya eyed Elna who went to sit down with Elea. It has been three weeks since they started this class. She had come to the choice of imparting a bloom on Elna after seeing that the woman was loyal to her lady, and had an intention to learn this power out of curiosity. To her surprise, Elna was a natural at using the bloom, her discipline, and wisdom had come in handy in comprehending how to attract the leftover spark that had been left behind.

Comprehension of the bloom was far easier when the world hadn't been sealed shut. So Elna’s talents were surprising to her. The bloom was quite picky when picking those who could wield it. But right now she understood that even though the spark had been limited, her ability to impart her mark, and make them natural in wielding the bloom was what gave them the advantage as well.

Natalya had been able to somewhat regain some of her abilities. Though without Mavin’s presence for the three weeks, she was able to test out her ability, attune to what was lost, and regain some of the power that had been cut off. Of course, compared to what she had possessed before the source of the spark was cut-off, it was dissimilar and her Imperator’s Mark was rather tamed compared to her ability back then.

She could have moved buildings with a gust of wind and pushed a part of the ground. She could no longer do wide-scale attacks and precise ones without that could pierce through solid objects within fifty meters. The severing of the hand and making use of her hand as catalyst to block the source of spark had limited her. Natalya could still truly draw the leftover of power, and the three weeks that was given to her was enough to test her theories out.

With Mavin  home, she wouldn’t dare to test it out. The man’s nose when it came to sensing all that was related to the crests and the bloom, who are by nature, a product of the spark, was quite terrifying to an extent. The man was a dedicated huntsman of those who possessed the ability to wield the spark as a weapon. She had enough time to somewhat make countermeasures against his detection, but at the same time she was wary that the Hounds or even her new disciples would reveal that they have the ability to wield the spark. Once the word get out that the spark can still be wielded, there was no doubt that people would flock to Lazon with the intention of finding out that secret, and if people who are able to wield the spark once came here, then it would surely set of an alarm and the Hounds of Lazon will be after them.

Even worse, it might just bring back the Ghost of Dinia back in action. The very Ghost that haunted her until she had put that Ghost down. Natalya didn’t want to see that Ghost again. She just wanted that Ghost to remain as her husband, her companion for life that would somewhat care for her despite her sins. Natalya could just imagine what the look on his face would be if he discovered them wielding the spark again.

She had to warn them again. “My husband is a man of paranoia. Once he hears of any trace then he might just do something to you. Nonetheless, he is also a man who would bring down the sun in vengeance for his family. He might let you off, but it would be best if you consider not showing it to him. He can be rabid when it comes to things like these, so it would be best if you just don’t show it off. Nonetheless, when the time comes, I will be telling him.”

Natalya knew that hiding it would just be festering a wound. He did not appreciate lies. Although her husband was fond of her physically, she was rather skeptical whether she even made a chip on his heart. Had she started invading his mind? Had she become a part of him that he would dare to fight the world for?

She doubted that.

Natalya didn’t mind using her body more to get him hesitant to part from her. She did have the experience to use on where to please him, and had already somewhat decided on her own that he was hers. And though in a way she was using them for the sake of her own salvation.

“Teacher?”

Natalya felt her mind lost.  Elea’s inquisitive gaze made her wonder for a second if she hadn’t controlled her emotions. Ignoring the idea that she was thinking something inappropriate for a moment. Natalya started teaching Elea the basics of topography, sciences, and maths.

She had somewhat lived long enough in those visions to learn them. It was the same as repeating everything until she got good at it. She became naturally able to comprehend and rather understand such things.

It was then that Natalya began to wonder what was missing. She was alive. She was teaching beautiful girls that are easy to teach. Natalya had been fond of teaching her subordinates in those visions, and yet there was some desire that was buried in her that she could no longer find.

What was her dream before being forced to enter that repeating hell? What was her dream back then when the war was over? She could barely remember anything before she had taken the spark with her.

She knew that it would not repeat at least. Natalya did not feel the connection of the spark that bound her and Mavin any longer. It was cut off the moment he made use of her hand to seal off the flow of spark. She didn’t dare to restore that connection, who knows what he would do when he found out?

For now, she decided to let go of the troubles brewing in her mind, she thought. She adjusted her focus back on teaching her girls. Elea was a responsible young girl that knew her duties, so she was somewhat unlike her peers who still looked at the world so fondly.

Natalya couldn’t blame her parents either. In a world where giant monsters walked the land, where artillery shells shatter the land, and giants made of steel and iron guarded it. It was best if she knows what it would mean to be the future heiress of this land.

Elea, she had been born when there was an attack during the last parts of the war, Natalya recalled what Elna said to her. There was a group from Norad who had managed to infiltrate close to the Capital. Lord Derrick had mustered his troops, and had taken care of this group. The group in question was one of the best troops that were able to enter the lands undetected, they were filled with men who had expertise in explosives and sabotage.

The little girl’s first experience in this world was the sound of gunpowder and explosives ringing through the area. She was born strong and healthy with a mind that naturally allowed her to accumulate knowledge without taking her time. To say that the little girl didn’t have the talent, the mind, and the motivation for learning would be foolish.

Nonetheless, as Natalya taught her, she was somewhat lacking, perhaps she was far more interested in learning the magical than that of the mundane. “I shall remind you that although one doesn’t necessarily need the mundane to understand the workings of using the spark, it would be best if you know how to manipulate them.”

Natalya gathered the spark into her crest that had bloomed. A ball of fire appeared on her hand. “How does fire start?”

Elea listened in with interest. “By having fuel!”

“Hmm, not quite,” Natalya. “It is a result of a combustion.. Now combustion  is a chemical reaction between oxygen and a source of fuel. Fire  requires fuel to create an ignition point. So to the uneducated you would need to douse the fire no? With water, sand, and even wind. But if you do not have water and earth. And you are somewhat encased in fire? What would you do?”

Elea crossed her arms. Elna somewhat guessed the answer, but she didn’t answer, letting Natalya continue instead. She lifted her hand a inch higher and transferred the fire on her silver hand. She then gathered a spark on her right hand and pointed it on the flame.

The flame slowly died like a candle dimming out.  “Now Elna, what do you think I did?” she looked at her.

“You took the oxygen out of the fire?”

“Yes I did.  Remove fuel, oxygen, and heat and you would be able to extinguish it. You are somewhat close, but what I did was replace the oxygen with carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is inflammable, odourless, and denser than air. The ignorant would be able to throw water on this flame,” she replaced the carbon dioxide with oxygen, lighting the flame on her hand again. “But those who are learned could control it more masterfully.”

The flame turned blue, producing a far more intense heat than ever. The fascination on the little girl’s eyes couldn’t be hidden.

“Isn’t it lovely?” Natalya then with a thought shut the flame off. “It would be better if you are learned than ignorant. So do not slack off, my cute pupil.”

Elea nodded.  Though Natalya couldn’t help but think that she had somewhat ignited the passion of the young girl to another level.