The carriage rolled to a stop, wheels crunching on stone. The forest of Cadia parted, revealing the Sisters of the Elements' temple, a pale granite structure built by Dwarven hands centuries ago. Its presence loomed large, a quiet promise in the dim light.
Gems studded the facade, glowing softly with elemental power. Ruby for Fire, sapphire for Water, emerald for Earth, topaz for Air, diamond for Light, aquamarine for Ice, citrine for Lightning, peridot for Poison flickered in the dawn. Opal and amethyst added subtle hues, a hint of magic's depth.
Gloria pressed her face to the window, breath fogging the glass. Hope stirred from Sister Edith's words, a life you shape, but fear twisted inside her, dark and heavy.
She was fourteen, a stranger to this place. Her Poison burned in her palms, her Shadow a whisper she dared not name. The sapphire in her sleeve felt like a secret burden.
Sister Edith stepped out, her green cloak rustling faintly. Her gaunt face stayed calm, her acidic scent cutting through the chill air.
"Come, Gloria," she said, her voice low and steady. She offered no hint of the venom Gloria carried within.
Gloria followed, boots scraping gravel. Each step echoed, the temple's stone walls rising like a silent guardian.
The gates towered above, carved with Dwarven runes that glowed faintly. Edith pushed them open, the air thickening with a magical hum. It felt alive, pressing against her skin.
The entrance hall stretched wide, its ceiling high and shadowed. Peridot veins threaded the walls, casting green flecks across the polished floor, a nod to Poison's craft.
Her heart thudded, awe and fear mixing. This was beyond Eldeholt's damp halls, a sanctuary that might test her soul.
Edith walked with purpose, her steps soft on the stone. She led Gloria to the dining hall, a long chamber of oak tables worn smooth by time.
Sisters filled the space, their cloaks bright with gem hues. Laughter rose, plates clinked with bread and stew, the air warm with roasted roots.
The hall buzzed with life, a stark contrast to the castle's cold silence. Gloria had eaten alone there, her rats her only company.
Her stomach tightened, envy stinging at their ease. Despair clung to her, her gash throbbing beneath crusted blood. Her gray tunic felt plain against their colors.
They moved to the meditation chamber, a circular room of peace. Diamond and opal inlaid the floor, scattering prisms across the stone walls.
Sisters knelt, eyes closed, their breaths a soft rhythm. A sapphire pool rippled at the center, its light dancing gently.
Gloria's fingers twitched, fear rising as her Shadow stirred. Edith's steady presence held her, a lifeline in this strange calm.
She watched an aquamarine-cloaked Sister sway, her hands tracing arcs. Ice's chill frosted the air, a beauty that caught her breath. Hope flickered, but despair lingered.
The chamber's stillness felt alien to her scarred heart. She wasn't sure she could trust this peace, so different from Eldeholt's harshness.
Edith led on, through gem-lit corridors. They passed training rooms, each door marked by a glowing stone, windowless and mysterious.
The Fire room's door radiated heat, a ruby glow seeping out. A forge's haze shimmered beyond, the scent of molten steel sharp.
The Water room's door felt cool, sapphire light pulsing faintly. Mist curled from within, the sound of rippling water a soft whisper.
The Earth room's door was heavy, emerald veins snaking across it. Dust seeped out, a faint rumble hinting at its power.
The Air room's door hummed, topaz flecks dancing. Wind echoes slipped through, stirring the air with restless energy.
Gloria paused at each door, awe filling her. Envy burned for the Sisters' skill, fear gnawing at her own wild power.
Her Shadow whispered, a secret risk. She pushed it down, following Edith into a courtyard.
The courtyard's stone was cracked, moss threading the gaps. The air felt heavy, the temple's silence deep and old.
A Sister stood there, cloaked in emerald, her face lined, eyes distant. Her presence was commanding, a force held in check.
"Sister Doris," Edith said, her voice soft and respectful, "face cream for my pupil, please."
Doris turned slowly, her movements deliberate. She handed Gloria a clay jar etched with runes, her fingers steady and unadorned.
Gloria frowned, curiosity rising. This freedom to ask felt new, so different from Eldeholt's punishment.
"Why doesn't she speak?" she asked, her voice low. She wondered if her own power could harm like that.
Edith's gaze held steady, her answer clear. "Doris chooses silence, Gloria. Her Earth magic is vast, a scream could trigger earthquakes or topple castles."
"She holds it back for us," Edith added. "Lords and ladies of Cadia know her power, fear her stillness as a weapon."
Gloria walked beside her, mind racing. A woman so strong, silent for others, awed her. Confusion lingered too.
"What will I be here?" she asked softly. Her thoughts turned to her place, envy for Doris's strength, fear of her limits.
Edith's eyes softened, not warm but open. "You'll train here, grow here, shape your path," she said.
"Ask what you will, Gloria," Edith continued. "No punishment waits in these walls."
Hope sparked in her chest, frail but bright. Fear stayed, her Shadow a hidden whisper.
The courtyard's silence pressed on her. She felt the temple's weight, a sanctuary with trials ahead.
Edith showed her the cream, dipping her fingers into the jar. "This heals wounds and shields your skin," she said.
"Apply it thick, like this," Edith demonstrated, smoothing it over Gloria's gash. "I went through this stuff fast when I first came."
"Now, a thick coat once a week keeps me safe," Edith said, her voice steady. She smiled faintly, a memory in her eyes.
Gloria felt the cream cool her skin, relief touched her, but worry lingered about her power.
She nodded, her mind on Edith's past. The temple offered hope, yet fear of her own strength grew.
Edith turned, her cloak whispering. She led Gloria toward the Poison wing, the corridor narrowing.
The peridot light glowed ahead, a promise of venom's craft. The walls felt close, ancient and unyielding.
Gloria followed, her boots echoing. The temple's freedom pressed on her, its dangers a shadow at her back.
Her Poison pulsed, a burn she couldn't tame. Her heart stirred, unready, a path unfolding.
The temple loomed, a place of growth and risk. She carried her fears, her hopes, into the unknown.