I leaned back and closed my eyes, trying to remember the rare moments when I had used magic without meaning to. Then it clicked. The necklace.
My mother's necklace, the one that looked almost identical to the orb. This is just a hunch, but what if?
This time, I decided to change the process. My heartbeat quickened as I cut my thumb again, letting a drop of blood fall onto the necklace first, instead of touching the orb directly.
The moment it touched the gem on the necklace, it glowed. A golden and quiet glow, one that felt warm and full of life. My heart raced as I pressed my thumb to the orb and clutched the necklace tightly in my other hand.
A spark followed by a sudden warmth spread through my fingers. And then the orb began to glow, a gold and blinding light that illuminated the entire room. I gasped. Something felt different deep inside me, like a sleeping force had awakened. Then in a single flash of heat and light, a symbol appeared on my shoulder. It was beautiful, ancient, and it felt somewhat alive, like a heartbeat.
I was so excited I could sing. I did belong somewhere. I wasn't a failure. But then why was my mark different? It was a star with four points instead of five, which hadn't been mentioned in the scroll. I don't know what it means, but at least now I know where I stand. I believe I will find an explanation soon.
I sang and danced around in joy, spinning until I tripped on my own feet. I landed on something soft. Flowers? So many flowers, they were everywhere. I jumped to my feet. Where did they come from? Maybe it was a side effect of the glowing light from the test? Though that wasn't mentioned in the scroll. I picked up one of the flowers to confirm it was real. It was. The petals were soft and smelled like they had just been freshly watered. Well, they were just harmless, beautiful, and colorful flowers. If they came from the orb, then it was a lovely after effect.
Laying with the flowers, enjoying the fresh scent and feeling the delicate petals, I hadn't been at such peace in a while. I went up for a long, relaxing shower and ate to my heart's content. Yet, I couldn't shake this feeling of unease.
*What did this symbol mean? Was I the first to bear it? If so… why?*
I felt this urge to return to the secret room, so I did. When I stepped inside, all the flowers were gone, every last one. My head spun. Where did they all go? How did they get here in the first place? Maybe they wilted? But there would be traces, wouldn't there? I stood there in silence gazing at the once flower-filled floor.
Then, a soft voice broke the silence.
"Alphi dear… can you hear me?"
My heart skipped a beat. That voice, familiar and comforting, was one I could recognize anywhere. It was Aunt. Tears welled in my eyes and fell silently down my cheeks. I had not heard another voice in days.
"Aunt… is that you?" I asked, my voice breaking.
"Yes, dear. How have you been?" came the gentle reply.
There was a short silence as I wasn't sure how to answer.
Aunt continued, "I see you found my secret room."
"Yes," I said softly. "I've known about it for a few days now."
"Well, that was expected of you," I could hear a smile in her tone. "And you've even received your mark."
I smiled a bit. "Yes… though it wasn't easy." I glanced at my shoulder. "Speaking of the mark… what is this symbol? It wasn't mentioned in the scroll."
There was a pause, then Aunt replied, "That is true. And just like the scroll… I've never seen a mark quite like yours."
My heart sank. I was hoping for clarity, but instead, the mystery deepened.
I was about to speak but was cut off by Aunt. "Now that you've received your symbol, beware. Many changes are coming your way. And now more than ever, you must keep your emotions in check."
The voice faded. "Aunt?" I called out. But there was no reply.
*What did Aunt mean by changes? Why this mark? And why me?*
I stood there in the uncomfortable silence, my little moment of peace gone. A sudden cold shiver ran down my spine. Was taking the test a mistake? Had I put myself in danger? Should I not have found this room?
My legs trembled, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. I couldn't even stand properly, so I leaned against the small table beside me, but in an instant, the table vanished. I collapsed to the floor. Where did the table go? My hands were now sweating. Scrambling to my feet, I looked around quickly in search of the table, but it was nowhere to be found. This doesn't make sense. How can a table of that size just vanish? My hands shook uncontrollably. Spotting the small pair of scissors lying on the floor, I tried to grab them, but the moment my fingers touched them, they vanished too.
I screamed, so loud I could feel the vibration in my throat. "Was it me?" I whispered. "Did I just make the table and scissors disappear?"
How is that possible? Aunt's words echoed in my mind: "There will be changes, and now more than ever, you must keep your emotions in check."
*That's it. My emotions. They're tied to my emotions.*
Closing my eyes, I tried to calm myself, taking slow, deep breaths, one after the other. My hands steadied and my legs slowly stopped shaking. I calmly made my way to the kitchen and drank about three glasses of water. I was ready to go back.
When I returned, the table and scissors had reappeared. I let out a sigh of relief.
Now I understood what Aunt had meant. The changes were real, and I had to control them.