《Polarized: The Full Collection》


 Prologue

    It was a cool day in the spirit realm, and Noi was delivering a message to Blanche. A bout of rain in City Central held him back, but the downpour passed as quickly as it started, leaving pools of water behind on the sidewalk. The messenger stared at the pools, which displayed glimpses of the mortal realm on their surfaces.


    Noi had never been to the mortal realm before and he didn''t want to go there. There was an unwritten rule among spirits requiring them to distance themselves from humans, after all. But despite Noi''s reservations, the humans from Cloudgate fascinated him. That''s because he knew that the spirit realm would be nothing without them.


    The goddess of creation and power, also known as Blanche, gifted auras to several humans. The humans with auras possessed godlike abilities, but once an aura-haver died, their auras would get extracted by Blanche. Once Blanche received multiple auras of the same type, she could combine them together to create a core. These cores, or conglomerations of auras, were what gave the spirits their essences and eternal lives. Without humans, the auras could not be turned into cores, and spirits would cease to exist. And without Blanche, the spirit realm would fall into chaos because she was at the center of it all. Blanche has created all spirits for the sole purpose of serving her and only her, so if a single spirit failed to fulfill their duty, she could kill them if that''s what she wanted to do. Spirits couldn''t die of ordinary causes, but Blanche, being their only creator, was also their only destroyer. She was the only known being with the ability to assemble and dismantle a spirit''s core.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Noi was currently delivering a message to Blanche, which he heard in his dreams. His ability was foresight, so he had to record these kinds of things. Though the messenger was used to interpreting prophecies, this one in particular was rather disturbing. He suspected it of telling of Blanche''s downfall:


    Creator, know your end is nigh


    Because the North star of the sky


    Its shine much needed, come and quell


    The darkness from your rule, dispel


    You''ll wander down a twisted path


    Fighting to keep your reign intact


    Alas, your fate is marked by ice


    Long is the wait for your demise


    The North Star? What North Star? Would a literal star fall from the sky or does that mean something else? Noi pondered. Though he normally liked interpreting prophecies, the vagueness of this one frustrated him¡ª he had to know what the "North Star" referred to so he could stop it from killing Blanche! Couldn''t the senders of this message afford to be a bit more specific?! Noi thought. He knew this wasn''t a game. It was a matter of life and death, and had to be treated as such.


    But as confused as he was, Noi had to accept he was only a seer, and he would never have all the answers he wanted. All he could do was walk on.

 Book 1: A Star is (Re)Born

    Skye is down on her luck. Having been sheltered and homeschooled her entire life, her parents finally make the decision to send her to a public school... only for her to end up in a freak accident involving her ice aura, a socially stigmatized form of magic. One event leads to another, and she''s now taken away to an island inhabited by a secret society of aura-mages. Also, she''s part of a prophecy to take down a tyrannical deity and can turn into a seal?!The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Cayto, meanwhile, is a young man who only wishes to do well in his studies, take over his father''s company and make his parents proud. He wants no part of the aura magic business and views the whole thing as wrong and degenerate. However, he ends up getting taken to the island of Avriya anyway, and is not happy about the recent turn of events. But who knows, there might be a silver lining to all this...

 1.1- Brain Freeze

    My name is Polaris, and I am an ice mage. I lead the Cloudgate Crusaders, a guild based in Skypoint, Cloudgate''s capital. We are a mage guild of all backgrounds and abilities, and every day is an adventure for us. Sometimes we fight monsters and evil spirits. Other times we settle disputes among the commoners. But either way, we''re all just trying to make Cloudgate a better place to live in¡ª


    "Skye!"


    Skye snapped from her daydream with a startled expression. She stared at her Algebra II notebook, blank in comparison to the jumble of numbers and symbols on the blackboard. As she gathered her surroundings, reality hit her in waves: her name''s not Polaris, she''s not Cloudgate¡¯s greatest-yet-unheard-of guild leader, and she''s not a heroic and brave ice mage. Though Skye may have shared the same straw-colored hair and light-blue eyes as her imaginary alter-ego, the similarities ended there. An underachieving, socially awkward girl of fifteen should have little in common with a legendary guild leader.


    Since Skye was young, her family had homeschooled her. It was her mom''s idea to send her to Springs High despite the risks of doing so. Since her mother sent her to high school, Skye had to be careful, because if she wasn''t, she could encase an entire room with ice. Not that it had happened before, but it definitely could.


    "Nuff'' staring off to space, your notebook''s blank."


    Skye recoiled upon hearing her teacher''s grating voice. She glanced up at his scowl and shifted back in her seat.


    "And solve the problem on the board," he added.


    Shit. Skye wasn''t good with numbers, so she zoned out the entire lesson. Because she kept quiet and sat in the back of class whenever possible, the teachers would always overlook her. Then, once Skye got home, her brother Ivan could explain her work for her. He would most likely ask Skye to do his chores in exchange, or for her money, but at least she would have assistance. But Ivan couldn''t help her now.


    Skye got up, and the next thing she knew, her right hand was full with freezing crystals. The crystals were soaking the sleeve of her sweater, which she tried to wipe on her scarf to dry off. To her dismay, all that did was make her scarf wet. Crap, am I that nervous? Skye thought. Now I have to hide my curse on top of solving some stupid math problem. But in the struggle to contain the ice forming on her hands, Skye hadn''t noticed a trail of it emerging beneath her boots. So the next thing she knew, she was slipping, and then she felt herself falling towards a tiled floor coated in a layer of frost¡ª


    "Sorry?" Skye mumbled. At this point, the stares of every single person in class drilled onto her while she sat sprawled on the floor. More than anything, Skye wanted to disappear, she wanted to forget this moment, she wanted everybody to ignore her and continue with their lives as if nothing happened. But the stares persisted, and in a doomed attempt to reassure her classmates, Skye vomited up words a million times faster than she could think:


    "Hey, yeah, well um¡ª I know you all hate me, and I get why you would, it''s because I''m cursed and well, curse-bearers are dangerous, but I swear I didn''t mean to cause any harm and I''m not a bloodthirsty killer and I do not enjoy causing mass destruction like the curse-bearers you see on the news, I''m completely harmless and I hate hurting people, so forgive me please and let''s pretend nothing happened¡ª"


    Silence. For what seemed like forever, the classroom stayed like that. Then the PA crackled, breaking the dreaded tension:


    "Skye Everson from class 10E, I repeat, Skye Everson from class 10E, please report to the principal''s office."


    Skye ran out as fast as she could.


    ***


    After tentatively opening the door to the principal¡¯s office, Skye was greeted by the sight of a tall and serious-looking man. His clothes were neatly ironed and not a single hair on his head lay out of place. While the girl braced for an angry lecture from him that never came, the man instead remained eerily calm. "Do you know why you''re here?" He asked.


    At that moment Skye felt like curling up in a hole and dissapearing. "Because I have an ice aura?"


    The man, whom Skye assumed to be Mr Avery because of the nameplate sitting atop his desk, shook his head. "No, it''s not because you have an ice aura. It''s because you failed to control it. Aura-havers are responsible for holding back their auras, because if they don''t, somebody can get hurt. You put your class in danger because you failed to restrain your curse, which is why you are here. Do you now understand what you did?"


    Skye nodded. "Yes, I understand."


    "Good," Mr Avery said flatly. "So can you tell me why none of the staff at Springs High School knew you had an ice curse beforehand?"


    Skye shrugged. "I don''t know why, but I forgot to bring it up. I''m sorry."


    Mr Avery gestured towards a chair. "Please take a seat while I call your parents. You''re not in trouble, I just need to inform them of what had happened so we could work out a solution together."


    The principal talked on the phone, but Skye couldn''t hear the other end of the conversation. She didn''t want to hear. What if Mom and Dad are mad at me? Skye worried. It''s not like I wanted to cause an accident. No, it was out of my control, and I wish I had never started it.


    But on the other hand, Skye thought, they have every right to be mad at me. I deserve it. I iced the classroom, I put people in danger, I broke Mom and Dad''s trust. They sent me here because they trusted me, and I betrayed them. I''m the worst, really.


    Mr Avery hung up the phone and announced the good news: that Skye wasn''t going to get expelled or face legal consequences. Skye didn''t care if she got expelled or not, in fact, she almost wished for it because Springs was that mind-numbingly painful. But she wouldn''t want to let her family down after all they had done for her, so every day, at that dreaded school, Skye sat through her lessons. Every day, she endured the gossip and the stares. Every day, she endured the rude teachers and her failing grades, pretending they didn''t bother her as much as they did, all because Skye would never forgive herself for being a dissapointment to her family. But here she was, at the principal''s office, the delinquent.


    But at least the damage Skye''s ice curse caused was light. At least nobody got hurt. At least she wasn''t a monster. Not yet.


    And then the next thing the principal said took any bit of hope Skye had left in her, crumpled it up, and burned it to smithereens: "Your appointment at Halifax Aura Correctional Facilities at Thunderport is scheduled for Wednesday at ten."


    Skye may have looked calm, but inside her mind she was screaming. While on call, Mr Avery had mentioned over and over how he didn''t want to punish Skye unfairly, how he cared for all of his students and one of them being cursed won''t change a thing, and how he''s looking for a practical way to prevent future incidents all while taking her well-being into account... only to send her to a literal torture center out of all things. What. The. Hell.


    ***


    Wednesday came a week after the incident. Skye took the bus with her family to Thunderport, one of two major cities in Cloudgate. At Thunderport, the Eversons checked into a large office building, and inside it was a vast room full of chairs facing a platform. Skye occupied a seat at the end of a row, with her mom, dad, and brother sitting on the chairs to the left. On Skye''s right-hand side was a door with a sign. The room was crowded and noisy, and Skye''s senses were overwhelmed, but she still had some important things which she wanted to say:


    "Mom?" Skye asked, turning to her left.


    "Yes sweetie?" Her mother replied.


    "I''m sorry for icing the classroom the other day. I don''t expect you to forgive me."This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    Her mother gave a sympathetic smile. "Oh, Skye, I should be the one apologizing, not you. I enrolled you in Springs High and put you in a situation you were unprepared for, and for that I''m sorry."


    "Huh?" Skye wasn''t preparing herself for that answer. "By the way, how come Ivan goes to school, yet I have studied at home until this year? We''re both mages¡ª wait, no, I take that back. We aren''t mages. Mages don''t exist anymore."


    "Mages?" Skye''s mother echoed. "That''s what you and your brother would have been called back when magic was legal, right?"


    "If we could train our auras." Skye said regretfully. "But nowadays, that''s not even a choice. I wish it was, though. Maybe if I became a mage and trained my aura to not destroy everything around me, I''d be more than some useless ice girl..."


    "But you''re not useless! Don''t say that about yourself!"


    "Then how come Ivan is able to pass for a non aura-haver, yet I can''t? What makes it easy for him, yet so hard for me?"


    "Good question." Maia replied as she gathered her thoughts. "You may both be aura-havers, but remember, you and your brother''s abilities are completely different from each other. He casts illusions, you''re a cryokinetic. Because Ivan''s aura manifests on a mental level instead of a physical one, and mind-manipulation auras only work through eye contact, it''s easier for him to hide his curse. All Ivan has to do is avoid eye contact, and there, no aura manifestation."


    "Yeah, you''re right," Skye agreed. "Almost forgot about that."


    "In addition," Maia added, "your brother claims that if he''s in class, and if he accidentally casts an illusion on the teacher, the teacher wouldn''t know who had casted it because multiple students would be staring at him or her at the same time. And Ivan also claims that if he accidentally casts an illusion on a single person, he can easily convince them it''s all in their head."


    Skye nodded.


    "But" Maia added, "I don''t think that''s the only reason you''re homeschooled and Ivan isn''t. I think personality differences also play a role. For instance, your brother''s a great actor. He can lie his way out of trouble, he can get people on his side, and he can adapt to whatever situation he''s in. No wonder he''s an illusion-caster¡ª nothing is what it seems with him. However, while Ivan may not look all that serious, he''s actually quite in control of himself. He''s able to put his feelings to the side whenever the situation requires, which helps him since strong emotions trigger auras. Because of that, your brother doesn''t need to avoid eye contact to suppress his aura. He can act like he''s aura-free just fine whenever he wants to."


    Skye crossed her arms. "And what am I? A hysterical mess?"


    "What?! Not at all!" Maia exclaimed. "Okay, you are a bit more sensitive. But that''s not necessarily a bad thing. You''re also more genuine, and I''m not so sure I can say the same about your brother. Though he''s great at many things, I''ve noticed he''s always putting on this mask of confidence, and he''s always escaping his problems and ignoring how he feels. Don''t get me wrong, he has his own strengths, but sometimes I wish your brother was more like you."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah, really," Maia said. "And not gonna lie, you''re the more caring one of the two. Which reminds me, remember when I told you about the man on the moon?"


    "I think so?" Skye paused. "Yeah, now I do. When we were kids, you told us that whenever we felt scared or lonely, if you looked at the moon, its craters formed a smiley face. That was the man on the moon. He would watch over you and keep you safe whenever you felt fear."


    "Exactly, that was it. Ivan was eight at the time and you were six. The whole thing was supposed to be a feel-good story, but the response from your brother was hilarious. To this day I still laugh at the memory of him flipping off the sky and yelling, "stop spying on me, creepy old man!" I told him not to make that gesture, but it was kind of funny. Oh and," Skye''s mom continued, "your reaction was priceless. You were looking at me with the most heartbreaking expression and asking, "but what about the man on the moon? Surely he isn''t lonely up there?" I tried to tell you that he had the sun and the stars, and as long as you were happy he was happy, but it wasn''t enough. So I told you he was accepting mail, and every night, for two weeks straight, you would drop off letters and drawings and gifts on the porch. I never told you that the man on the moon was just a story, and it was your dad and I taking the gifts, not him, but eventually you caught on."


    "Oh." Skye giggled. For a moment she forgot that she was sitting in a stuffy office building. But then she glanced over Maia and saw her brother''s empty chair. "Speaking of Ivan, where did he go?"


    Maia briefly panicked. "Oh no! Ivan! Where are you?!" She called out, only for him to come bounding over three seconds later before squeezing his way between the row of people in the seats. Skye and her mother let out sighs of relief.


    "So there''s this cool grandma on the next aisle, her name is Juliana, she has thousands of grandchildren, and she bombs abandoned houses for fun¡ª" Ivan announced.


    An elderly woman shot a warning glare at Ivan. He stared at his lap in embarrassment, and the rest of the family exchanged confused glances.


    ***


    The chatter died down as the lights dimmed a few minutes later, leaving only a strip of platform illuminated. The distinct sound of the clacking of high heels could be heard as a woman with a bobbed haircut walked onto the platform, wearing a headpiece with a microphone attached. Then she spoke in the microphone, her voice echoing throughout the room:


    "Welcome to HACF. My name is Sierra Halifax and I am Martin Halifax''s wife. You may know me as the co-founder of Halifax Industries."


    The crowd fell silent, and a moment later, she continued speaking:


    "Our vision is a Cloudgate free of curses, one where magic-induced accidents are no longer an issue. But we aren''t just looking to protect non aura-havers from curses. We are also dedicated to leading those unfortunate enough to be born with them to as much of a normal life as possible."


    Normal? Unfortunate enough to be born with a curse? Skye thought. There''s no such thing as normal. Everybody''s different in their own ways. Also, not so long ago, being born with a "curse" was a good thing. People loved mages and looked up to them as heroes. Now these Halifax people are trying to hurt me only because I have an aura. It''s messed up, really.


    Sierra paused. From her coat pocket she produced a syringe containing a clear liquid, and she held it up to the audience. "Here, we utilize shock tags to deal with aura curses, and this is how we tag our clients. We inject our solution, engineered with cutting-edge technology specifically designed to help you suppress your aura while being as non-obtrusive as possible, into your left arm, or your right arm if you''re left-handed. The solution will release a shock whenever your aura manifests, so as long as you have self-control and avoid situations that trigger your curse, you have nothing to fear. Like any injection, our method of tagging only hurts for a moment, and it''s more efficient than surgically implanting the device as our competitors do. However, the effects of our tags wear off after five months, so by then you''ll have to return for a new dose."


    Skye felt sick, but despite her silent protests, Sierra continued monologuing. Doesn''t this lady know what she''s saying?! Skye screamed, but silently. Doesn¡¯t she know what she''s advocating for?!


    "There are multiple studies backing up the effectiveness of tagging," Sierra continued. "According to a recent survey conducted by the Public Safety Department of Cloudgate, 81% of our clients reported a heightened sense of control over their curse since they received their injection, and 67% noted a significant decline of magic-induced outbursts from themselves. So if you think that we''re forcing some cruel and unusual punishment onto you, think again. Consider all the people you''ll protect by getting tagged."


    Suddenly Skye needed to go to the bathroom. Maybe she could hide on the toilet, as pathetic as that sounded. For a second, the temptation to push Sierra off the platform, scream about how cruel this whole system was, and make the crowd rebel overcame Skye, but then she remembered she didn''t have the guts to pull that off. Plus she genuinely needed to pee.


    "I''m going to the bathroom. It''s an emergency." Skye whispered to her mother. Though she wasn''t sure if leaving her seat was against the rules, she knew she could slip by unnoticed. The door was near, the room was dark, and everybody was focused on Sierra''s presentation.


    "Alright, but be quick," Maia whispered back. "We don''t want you to get in trouble for hiding."


    Skye tiptoed to the door on the right-hand side of her chair. The door had a sign displaying the symbols for lobby, elevator, drinking fountain, restroom, and workroom, with arrows pointing right or left next to each symbol. She turned the doorknob with a shaky hand, revealing a corridor that split off in two directions. Then she traveled down the corridor on the left. At the end of it was what she thought was the bathroom door. Skye gave it a shove.


    Shit. This isn''t the bathroom.


    Before her lay boxes and shelves with empty syringes and vials upon vials of clear liquid. The vials were being attended to by a dark-haired boy who looked to be around the same age as Ivan. But this boy wasn''t just handling vials; he was firing off electric sparks. An aura-haver, Skye thought. A wielder of electricity.


    As the boy turned his head away from the vial he was holding, he glared at Skye, his violet-colored eyes with tired dark circles under them turning into slits. "What are you doing here?" he asked, visibly annoyed.


    "I was looking for the bathroom and ended up here. Sorry," Skye said, embarrassed.


    But the boy remained hostile. "I don''t care that you''re sorry, just get out of here."


    "Wait," Skye piped up, "Is that a lightning aura?"


    "Just leave already, I don''t have time for this nonsense!" the boy shot back. "Don''t you see that I''m busy?!"


    "If you''re actually an aura-haver, I won''t tell any of the people here," Skye assured. "In fact, I have an ice aura. I don''t see why you''re hiding from me."


    "Doesn''t matter, you''re still cursed," The boy said coldly, spitting out the last word like a dead fly in his mouth. "You should be going over to the meeting room and getting yourself tagged."


    "Speak for yourself," Skye retorted. "You''re just as cursed as I am."


    At this point, the boy¡¯s jaw and fists were clenched in visible irritation. "How about you leave me alone and let me do my damn job?!" He snapped.


    Skye backed out of the workroom. "Fine, I''m leaving!" She announced, shutting the door behind her.

 1.2- The Boy with the Lightning Aura

    To hide or not to hide? That was the question Skye mulled over while she locked herself in the bathroom. She knew she could leave and return to the meeting room if she wanted to, but she also knew that if she did, she''d be letting the officials inject her with lightning juice. She shuddered at the thought.


    But could Skye get away with locking herself in a public restroom instead of coming out to get tagged? She didn''t know. If she had somehow managed to stay hidden, not only would she be protecting herself, but she''d also be doing something much larger: proving that maybe, just maybe, she wasn''t so powerless after all, and somebody as insignificant as her could win a victory against an institution as large as HACF. But what if somebody found her? What if nobody found her? When would Skye escape the bathroom? Would she escape? All of those questions flooded her mind, swirling around like clothes in a washing machine.


    What would happen to me if I stayed here? Skye thought. What would happen if somebody found me in here, a HACF worker, perhaps? Would they beat me up? Drag me out of the bathroom? Hold me down by my arms and legs so I can''t resist, and force their shock tags into me?


    Or would they tell my school? Skye wondered. Maybe I''ll end up getting expelled from Springs because I refused to go along with HACF''s procedures. That wouldn''t be so bad.


    And what if nobody finds me? How will I know when it''s safe to get out? What if there are security cameras outside the bathroom, and as soon as I leave, I get discovered? And if I get discovered, then what? Will the HACF people tell my parents about my transgression? Will my parents stop loving me?


    And what if they never loved me at all in the first place? Skye thought as she sat there, ruminating. I''m an aura-haver, after all. A ticking time bomb. I could impale somebody with an icicle at any given moment. Who in their right mind would love someone like that? It goes against all common sense. My parents are crazy for risking their lives, all so an idiot like me could gain a semblance of happiness.


    Maybe I''ll stay in here forever, rotting away in a bathroom stall. Good riddance, Ivan will say. Finally, I don''t have to deal with that problem child anymore, Dad will think. And Mom will finally get a break from me. If I disappear here, that would be better for everyone.


    Maybe I''ll become a toilet ghost and haunt the bathroom when I''m dead. People will pass me by and speak of a translucent girl in a red beanie and a striped scarf. And then they''ll open the stall door and find my rotting corpse...


    Minutes passed while Skye sat on the toilet, contemplating anything and everything. But as soon as she heard the bathroom door open and a knock on her stall, she jumped.


    "You''re a HACF worker, aren''t you?" Skye accused. "If you are, you better stay away from me!"


    "What''s taking you so long?" Maia asked from the other side of the door, her voice shaking with fear. "It''s been twenty minutes already. Are you okay?"


    ***


    Skye dragged her feet down the corridor after her mother, and Maia opened the door to the main meeting room. "Get on the platform," she ordered Skye. "All of the aura-havers who are getting tagged are up there. I''m sorry, I know how much you don''t like this, but you''ve got to go. Otherwise you can''t go back to Springs."


    "Oh, so now you want to send me back to that damn school?!" Skye snapped. "Though you said you were sorry for sending me there, you still want me to go back? Make up your mind, are you sorry or are you not? Did you know how miserable I was at that place, how many hours of pain I¡¯ve endured?"


    Maia breathed an exasperated sigh. "Skye, I don''t want to argue. It''s for your own good."


    "My own good?!" Skye fumed. "What the hell are you on? In what universe would you electrocute your child for their own good? Don''t you see how fucked up this is?!"


    The staring. There it was again. Skye felt everybody''s eyes boring into her, but this time, she was going to let them. She was going to let everybody at HACF see the truth, once and for all, about how wrong this all was. She was going to expose Sierra''s lies and deception, and knock some sense into these people. At that moment, Skye knew she wasn''t crazy, they were. The people who worked at HACF were the real monsters, not her, for believing that something as horrible as tagging could ever be justified.


    Suddenly a familiar-looking, dark-haired boy stepped up, grabbing Skye by the arm. As she tried to resist, he dragged her onto the platform, pulling her up beneath him. "Crazy girl," the boy muttered under his breath. Skye pulled against him, but she wasn''t as strong as him so she couldn''t hold her ground. Instead she shot daggers at the back of his head with her eyes. Come on, Skye thought, seething. You''re an aura-haver. We should be on the same side here, but no, you''re with HACF. Traitor.


    At this point, Skye was too drained, and too scared, to resist any longer. Her legs were jello, each of her steps shaking as she followed the group off the platform. By now she had already cooled off after her sudden outburst, and was starting to regret how she behaved. God, I wish I hadn''t thrown a tantrum like that, Skye thought. I thought I was doing something, but all I did was make a fool of myself.


    The young man with the dark hair rounded up the aura-havers and led them off the platform, not one of them resisting. He then walked them down the room and opened the door, the same door as the one next to Skye''s seat from earlier. After that, he led the group through the corridor which split in two, but this time, they took the right corridor and ended up in front of the elevators. The group leader did not acknowledge Skye at all.


    "Since it''s impossible to fit all of you into a single elevator, you will be entering in groups of seven. Go to the sixth floor and once you get there, wait outside for everyone," the group leader instructed while a boy with curly hair tried to get his attention.


    "Hey, can you come over here?" The boy asked. "We have a problem. Orion says that he doesn''t feel well. He''s on the floor right now."


    The group leader rushed over to Orion and crouched on the floor. "What can I do for you?"


    "Call... an... ambulance..." Orion responded, his voice weakening. Then he fell unconscious.


    For a long moment, the group leader stood frozen in place. But after a while, as if a switch turned on in his brain, he started moving again, and with a considerable effort was able to lift the body from the floor as he stood up.


    "Can somebody help me here?" The leader asked the group. The same curly-haired boy approached him, lifting the body along with him. The group leader then led the rest of the aura-havers away from the elevators and through the lobby, and at the lobby there was a woman behind a desk. She stopped the group.


    "Cayto, where do you think you''re going?" The woman asked. "The tagging room is on the sixth floor."


    "One of my clients fell unconscious, so I''m getting medical attention. We''re all waiting outside for the ambulance," the boy leading the group responded, speaking in an official-sounding, monotone voice.


    "An ambulance? I doubt that''s necessary." The woman remarked.


    "Orion told me to call an ambulance before he passed out, so I''m doing what he says is best." Cayto replied.


    "Go ahead. But once he gets some help, return immediately. Got it?" The woman behind the desk reminded him.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    Cayto nodded, leading the group out of the building and onto the city block. But it wasn''t an ambulance that arrived, but a series of vans, and there wasn''t a medic in sight. Instead an old lady hopped out of a van.


    Wait, Skye thought. Isn''t that the old lady Ivan talked to earlier?


    "You''re getting rescued, do not resist!" The lady yelled. Before Skye could ask what was going on, the old lady tossed her into the van, and in no time, everybody got shoved into a vehicle. In the van, Skye got sandwiched between Cayto and somebody else wearing a multicolored hoodie. She stared at the person in the hoodie, who looked suspiciously like her brother. Wait, is that Ivan? Skye wondered. What is he doing here?


    "Skye!" Ivan greeted his sister and laughed. "We''re getting kidnapped! Isn''t that great?"


    Skye shook her head. "Ivan, what the hell?!"


    "I know this sounds weird, especially with how Juliana is going about this, but I know that following her is safer than staying behind at HACF," Ivan stated, unfazed by the turn of events.


    Skye shifted in her seat. "What? How do you know?"


    "Remember Luka Archer? That plant kid who moved to Redmount?"


    "Oh yeah, weed man." Skye chuckled, recalling Ivan''s nickname for his old friend. Luka''s chlorokinetic abilities earned him that name.


    "He didn''t actually move to Redmount. That was just a cover. Avriya is where he lives, and I know because we call each other. He says its a nice place," Ivan explained. "And now we''re all going to Avriya."


    "Avriya?" Skye asked, perking up. "Where is that?"


    "Off the coast of Winterbay," Ivan responded. "When I talked to Juliana at HACF, she said she knew my friend because he''s also from Avriya. Luka has mentioned Juliana in his calls before, and they''re familiar with each other."


    That explains why Ivan was talking to some random stranger, Skye thought.


    Just then Skye had another question. "What happened to Orion? Didn''t he pass out?"


    The voice came from the backseat. "No need to worry about me, I''m doing fine. My ability just happens to be mind control, and I had to pass out so my consciousness could move from my own body to Cayto''s¡ª"


    At that moment Cayto regained his senses, realizing where he was. "I GOT KIDNAPPED?!" He screamed. "THAT''S IT, I''M CALLING MARTIN HALIFAX. NONE OF YOU ARE GETTING AWAY WITH THIS."


    Orion paled. "Sorry," he said sheepishly. "I forgot I was supposed to stay behind while in your body and wait for my consciousness to return on its own instead of boarding the van as you. Now we have an extra person whom we don''t want in here."


    "Don''t worry, I took Cayto''s phone, so at least he can''t report us." Juliana reassured Orion from the driver''s seat. "But because of your mistake, we''ll now have to watch over this person once we get to Avriya. I know, I hate holding people hostage, but this is no ordinary worker you''ve taken. This is Cayto Halifax."


    For a moment there was silence. Then Juliana started to talk again.


    "His parents are Martin and Sierra. They own Halifax Industries, and Martin plans on handing ownership over to Cayto in the future. It would be foolish to let Cayto out of our sights when his entire family wants us dead," Juliana stated. "As much as I hate to separate Cayto from his family, we have no choice but to keep him at Avriya."


    Skye and Ivan remained on edge, and Cayto stared out the window for the rest of the ride, refusing to look at any of his captors.


    ***


    No. No. NO. This couldn''t be happening. If he really got kidnapped by these people, Cayto could lose everything. Thanks to some guy with a mind-control curse, he could lose his position at Halifax Industries. He could lose the opportunities that came from being born into a family as wealthy as his, and he could lose everything he owned and be forced to start life over from scratch.


    Cayto took a breath. I shouldn''t be panicking, he reminded himself. I have to stay calm and find a way out of here. And if I do, I''ll tell the authorities about these people. Make these curse-bearers pay for what they did. And maybe I could convince Mr Halifax to not get angry at me. I''ll show him that I still deserve to inherit the company, even if some lunatics took me away in a van and I failed to complete what he had asked me to do. If I work extra hard to make up for my mistake today, then everything will be alright.


    Now for escaping the van, Cayto thought. If I get out of here, I may be able to find directions home.


    Cayto tried to open the door, but Orion reached from the seat behind Cayto, yanking him backwards. "Don''t bother. The doors lock when driving." Orion reminded him.


    So much for jumping out of the van, Cayto thought.


    The van drove through a forest clearing and parked at a strip of sand by the sea. While everybody else exited the vehicle, Cayto ran for the woods in an attempt to escape, but he tripped on the old lady''s walking stick. While Cayto struggled to regain his footing, an aura-haver in a teal jacket waved his arms around, causing a sand-filled gust of wind to hit Cayto in the face. When he tried to run, the wind pushed against him, and the blowing sand stung his eyes.


    "Thank you for the wind barrier, Elliot," the old lady who tripped Cayto with her walking stick commented. Then she coughed. "Would be nice if you got rid of this sand."


    "No problem," the wind user responded. Then he produced another gust of wind and the sand got lifted away.


    Cayto let out a sigh of relief. At least there was no more sand blowing in his eyes. But still, the air was chilly, so he made his way towards the wind barrier''s center. To his annoyance, most of the group had already crowded in that area.


    "I''m doing a survey!" The old lady yelled over the blowing wind. "My name is Juliana Shaffer. If you don''t trust me, I understand why, because I practically just kidnapped you. But still, since you all were scheduled for tagging, I''d like to hear your opinion. Did any of you actually want to get tagged?"


    Most of the crowd ignored her. Only two people answered her question, and both answers were ambivalent.


    "Some of you are uncertain," Juliana shouted, "and I get why. You mean well. You believe that getting shock tagged is the only way to protect your community, but at the same time you''re afraid of pain. I''m here to tell you¡ª the pain is not worth it! Martin Halifax, Sierra Halifax, the Public Safety Department, the tagging industry, none of them care about your wellbeing. In fact, it''s quite the opposite. They''d kill you if they could."


    Cayto bristled at Juliana''s lies, but the woman continued to spout her propaganda. "The reason we came to HACF was not to kidnap you, though it may seem that way. We actually wanted to offer a chance to escape shock tagging and Cloudgate''s prejudice in general, but we didn''t want to reveal the location of our base. I''ll explain why confidentiality is important to us later, but for now, the point is if we left you behind, you would have gotten tagged. Have you gotten tagged, you would go through immense pain every time your aura manifested. We had firsthand experience of the effects of tagging, and they are horrible, trust me. Some of us have gotten shocked by them and are now scarred for life. It''s sad how normalized this is."


    Sad how normalized your face is, Cayto thought, but he didn''t say it out loud, because as much as he hated Juliana, he wasn''t an idiot. He knew that saying such a thing would only make his situation worse.


    Meanwhile, a girl with messy black pigtails that faded to pink stood further from the group, laughing to herself. Cayto recognized her as one of his clients: Alexis Bingham, a sixteen-year-old telepath. Got sent to HACF because of her tendency to spread highly specific and accurate pieces of gossip. She made momentary eye contact with Cayto and a voice popped into his head:


    I heard that.


    Fuck off, Cayto thought.


    Meanwhile, Juliana spoke. "So I''ll be honest with you: as long as you''re on a tagging center''s database, you''re not safe on Cloudgate''s mainland. I know this because I know that HACF happens to be one of the largest tagging centers, and they are persistent when it comes to their so-called clients. That''s why we set up base on Avriya, an island hidden from the rest of Cloudgate. Avriya remains secluded because it''s wind-barriered and covered in mist. On top of that, the only way to get past a wind barrier is with supernatural abilities."


    So I may be able to escape Avriya, Cayto thought. But I don''t know if lightning will be of any use against a wind barrier.


    "All of us will check out Avriya very soon. After that, I''ll let you decide whether you want to stay or go home. You can change your mind later, and if you choose to stay at Avriya, we''ll let you tell your family and friends if it''s safe for you to do so. Though most of us are aura-havers, we allow non-havers here if they are family of aura-havers and/or support our cause, and if they promise not to tell outsiders of our existence. We have to be careful, because if we risk letting the wrong people know about Avriya, they could shut us down or worse. It is the last place where magic is not only legal, but actively taught, which would be considered problematic on the mainland. Any questions?"


    The crazy ice girl bounced on her toes, nowhere near as mad as she was before. No, this time there was an enthusiastic gleam in her eye, her expression akin to that of a child at a candy store. "So I can become a mage?¡±


    "Yeah, if you can get through the entire training program. But let me warn you, it is difficult." Juliana answered. "However, we recommend all aura-havers to at least go through the basics so they can defend themselves in case of an emergency."


    A boat resembling one of Thunderport''s ferries made its way to shore and docked. The wind mage named Elliot waved his arms to remove the barrier, and the wind surrounding the group of people on the beach died down. Cayto insisted on staying behind, but before he could go anywhere, Juliana grabbed his arm and dragged him onto the boat. Then she raised the anchor and the boat drove off.

 1.3- Welcome to Avriya

    The deck swayed under Skye''s feet, so she grabbed the railing. In front of her, sunlight danced on the water, and beneath the boat, the waves crashed. A gust of wind brushed Skye''s skin and blew her hair onto her face, so she tossed it back and inhaled the fresh, salty, air. Then she watched the shore become smaller and smaller as the boat drifted further into the sea, and soon, all that was left of the sandy beach with the clearing of forest was a tiny strip of land on the horizon.


    After some time, the boat sailed into a cloud of mist, the fog thickening so much that Skye could barely make out the outline of the boat''s cabin through the haze. She shivered at the drop in temperature accompanying the fog before hearing some footsteps behind her. Then she jumped, but when turning around to see who it was, Skye let out a sigh of relief and annoyance. "Ivan?"


    "If I were you, I''d go indoors," he advised. "Everyone else is inside the cabin. You''re the only one on the dock."


    "Oh hell no," Skye shot back. "It smells like vomit in there."


    "But you don''t look like you''re handling the cold all that well," Ivan noted. "You''re even doing that thing where you rub your hands to keep them warm. Just go inside and ignore the vomit, I''m telling you."


    Skye shook her head. "Nope. Can''t do that. I''m going to stay outside."


    "Even if the fog monster comes out, wraps you up in seaweed, and eats you like a burrito?"


    Skye rolled her eyes. "Haha, very funny."


    "Well actually¡­" Ivan paused. "Look behind you."


    Skye turned her head and saw a giant squid bobbing back and forth on the water''s surface. Its tentacles were stiff and it moved more like a pencil hanging from a string than an actual sea animal. It even levitated a few times. Anyone who didn''t know about Ivan''s illusion-casting may have been unsettled, but to Skye, the squid was nothing more than an unconvincing display.


    "Oh no! What a nightmare!" Skye said mockingly.


    Ivan laughed. "One of these days you''re going to run into a real fog monster and assume it''s fake."


    "And what will happen then?" Skye asked.


    "I''m not saving you, that''s for sure."


    ***


    A ramp extended from the boat as soon as it docked itself, and the group disembarked. Skye followed the group from pier to gravelly shore, kicking pebbles with her feet as she stared at the ground. The howls of a nearby wind barrier echoed around her, the barrier itself so large she couldn''t detect where it began or ended.


    Elliot the wind mage parted the barrier, guiding them through an open space in some swaying trees. While trudging through the forest, Skye made her way around some logs and mud puddles, almost falling over them a few times. Thankfully, she managed to avoid dirtying her clothes, though her shoes got muddy by the end of the walk.


    At the end of the forest stood a town''s market square, a cluster of buildings surrounding a brick path. The brick path encircled an open space. In the middle of the open space stood a statue of a robed woman, a familiar sight throughout Cloudgate. Skye recognized the statue as a shrine to Blanche, goddess of auras and mother of all spirits. Save for a few people strolling along the path and another leaving an offering at the foot of the statue, the square was nearly empty.


    "Wow." Skye exclaimed under her breath. "Avriya is beautiful."


    "Looks average to me," Ivan commented. "Every town on Cloudgate''s east coast looks like this."


    "Enough chattering, let''s get to business," said Juliana, tapping her cane to get the group''s attention. She picked up a brisk pace, leading her followers away from the square and through an alleyway, and after making a right, Juliana led them down Avriya''s Main Street, stopping by a five-foot gate. She opened the gate to a courtyard formed between three large buildings, a fountain rising from its center. There was no water in the fountain, as it got shut off for the fall.


    "Welcome to Silver Run Academy," Juliana said as she sat on the edge of the fountain. "It''s the only school in Avriya so we teach all grades here. Yes, I am the principal. Yes, we have dorms, though not everybody who attends this school will sleep in one. But even if you can''t get a dorm, there are plenty of houses nearby. That way, none of you will have to worry about not having a place to stay again."


    "Again." That word stuck with Skye because it reminded her of one of Cloudgate''s harsh realities: the one where too many aura-havers had no family and no home. Skye was one of the lucky ones who had both of those, but why was that luck wasted on her? She had nothing with which she could compensate, while the aura-havers on the street could''ve been infinitely more talented, more intelligent, more worthy of success than she was.


    So many people would disown their children had they found them to be cursed, but Maia and Cole weren''t those types of parents. Despite their misfortune of having not one, but two, children with curses, they stuck with Skye and Ivan all the way through. The Everson parents wanted their children to be safe and happy, so they did everything they could to give both siblings a "normal" life, if something like that existed. But still, despite her parent''s efforts, Skye felt anything but normal. She doubted that a regular life by aura-free standards was attainable for someone like her, because even if she could pass for an aura-free person like Ivan, Skye would still live in fear. But Skye''s greatest fear wouldn''t have been getting found out as an aura-haver, nor was it discrimination¡ª no, her greatest fear was losing herself to her ice. Hurting those around her. Becoming the type of curse-bearer feared by aura-havers and aura-free people alike. Nobody with a "normal" life by aura-free standards worried about that. No regular, happy person''s greatest fear was becoming a monster.


    I don''t want to be afraid of myself anymore, Skye thought. And I don''t want anyone to be afraid of me. I want to live at Avriya, attend Silver Run, and train under Juliana so I could protect people and use my aura for good. If the mages of decades ago could do it, then so can I¡ª


    "Hello! Earth to Skye!" Ivan called, bringing his sister to the present. Skye jumped.


    "How much of the speech did you miss?" Ivan asked.


    Skye shrugged. "I don''t know?"


    "Did you hear the part about calling your parents?"


    "No?"


    "Damnit, Skye," said Ivan. "You''re such an airhead. Anyway, we''re calling Mom and Dad. Then we''re visiting Luka."


    "Are you going to tell them where we are?" Skye asked. "I think I really want to live here..."


    "Bad idea," Ivan stated. "We can''t let them in on a secret as big as Avriya''s. Not over the phone and not when we are Blanche knows how many miles away from them."


    Skye gulped. She was so enthusiastic about leaving Maplesprings and Springs High behind, but now it may never happen. Maybe she deserved this. Maybe she deserved to have her dream life escape her before it even began. It''s what she got for being so naive.


    ***


    After waiting in the courtyard for a short while, a woman who looked to be in her mid twenties walked over to Skye and Ivan. ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted Ivan. "My name is Hyacinth. You said you wanted to call home, right?"


    "Yeah," he replied. "So where''s my phone?"


    Hyacinth dropped Ivan''s phone into his hand without saying a word.


    "Thanks," said Ivan, about to dial. "And by the way, where''s Luka? You know, Luka Archer, seventeen years old, able to control plants¡­"


    "In the garden behind the second building, most likely. He spends a lot of time there," Hyacinth answered. "But he doesn''t talk that much. Sure it''s him you wanna see?"


    "Yeah, I''m sure. But I''m making this call first."


    "Alright. And remember, do not tell your parents about Avriya if you aren''t sure whether they''ll breach confidentiality. We trust your judgement, but I will be listening," Hyacinth reminded Ivan, who was dialing Cole Everson''s number. Ivan nodded and pressed call.


    "Hello?" Ivan greeted, holding the phone up to his ear. "It''s me and Skye. We''re safe, so don''t worry about us¡ª"


    "Where is Skye?!" Cole boomed from the other end of the line. "Skye, talk to us so we know you''re there."


    "Hey," Skye murmured into the phone. "It''s me."


    "Ohmygod¡­ ohmygod¡­ my babies¡­ my darlings¡­ I was so worried for you¡­ I thought I was going to have a heart attack¡­" Maia gurgled between rounds of sobbing. "What happened? It''s been five hours and not one call or text¡­ I''ve heard the news. Every single one of you¡­ gone. All we know is that Skye''s group was last seen exiting the building at 3:30 pm. According to reports, one of them had fainted, so they all had to leave to get medical help. None of them have been seen since then."


    "So I''ve heard," Ivan responded. "Many aura-havers have gone missing recently, especially during their tagging appointments. Worrying, isn''t it?"


    "I know," Maia said with a sigh. "I''m glad to hear that Skye is with you, but I hope everybody else is fine."


    "So do I," added Cole. "But Ivan, you''ve been away for too long, and for some reason we couldn''t track you on our phones. So don''t cause us to worry like that again, okay?"


    "Okay," Ivan muttered.


    "And by the way," Cole added, "how was your study session with Theo?"


    "Study session?" Skye asked, but Ivan put a hand over her mouth.


    "We kept getting sidetracked but at least it''s over," Ivan said nonchalantly.


    A puzzled expression crossed Skye''s face. What is he talking about?


    "Sidetracked?!" Maia yelled. "You abandoned us at HACF for what you said was an urgent study session with your friend, and it took you this long to call us back because you were fooling around instead of studying?! You scared us half to death, Ivan Everson."


    "But we got our work done even if it took longer than expected," Ivan replied. "Plus there''s no point in dwelling on how much time has passed. Right now, getting home with Skye is more important."


    "Do you even know how to get home from where you are?" Maia asked, a hint of accusation in her voice.


    "Well¡­"


    "How did you find Skye?" Asked Cole, interrupting Ivan before he could finish speaking. "And do you know where the others are?"


    "As I was leaving the building, I saw Skye''s group waiting outside. She ran up to me, so I told her I was going over to Theo''s house to help him study. She kept begging to come with me, even after I said no. But there was no refusing her. Skye was so scared of getting tagged that she had followed me to his house, and I had no choice but to let her," Ivan falsely reported. "So no, I do not know where the others are. Only Skye."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    Yeah, right. Lie about your sister being difficult while making yourself look good, Skye nearly blurted out, but she bit back the comment.


    "Thank goodness you let Skye follow you, or else she would''ve gone missing as well," Maia replied, her voice heavy with relief. "Anyway, I''ve decided to call off the tagging appointment. It all seems to be too much for her."


    For a moment everybody stopped talking, but then Cole broke the silence. "But what about the school''s orders?"


    "I know, Springs won''t let Skye back in until she has her papers proving she got tagged, but in this case, our daughter''s wellbeing comes first," Maia asserted. "Plus, I don''t think that sending her to school was a good choice in the first place. We''re pulling her out and homeschooling her again, whether you like it or not."


    Yesyesyesyesyesyes, Skye thought.


    "I guess you have a point," Cole admitted. "But we can''t keep sheltering her forever¡­"


    "So Skye isn''t getting tagged after all?" Ivan queried, his voice tinged with excitement. "Thank goodness. Also, I''m sorry if it takes us longer than usual to get home. Public transportation''s acting up."


    "That sucks," said Maia. "Anyway, stay safe, and if you need help, call us."


    "And take care out there. We know how far Theo''s house is, so use maps if you can," Cole advised.


    "Thanks," Ivan responded, "and see you later." Then he hung up the call.


    After the call, Skye stared at her brother like he had two heads. "Did you just¡ª"


    "Yeah, I bullshitted my way through that phone call," Ivan admitted. "What was I supposed to tell our parents? That I only told them I needed to help a friend study so they could let me out of HACF''s waiting area? That I actually followed some old lady with explosion powers to a secret island for aura-havers?"


    Hyacinth piped into the conversation. "Don''t call Juliana some old lady, that''s not nice."


    "Wait." Skye said. "So Juliana was an explosion mage this whole time?"


    "Of course, why else would she bomb abandoned houses for fun?" Ivan responded.


    "Oh. Yeah. That thing you said back at Thunderport." Suddenly, Skye recalled what Ivan had told her about Juliana. So there''s this cool grandma on the next aisle, her name is Juliana, she has thousands of grandchildren, and she bombs abandoned houses for fun¡­


    "Juliana doesn''t do it for fun as much as she does to practice using her aura," Hyacinth corrected. "She has to find places like abandoned houses, empty parking lots, and other areas where she can set off explosions without harming people."


    "And what about her having thousands of grandchildren?" Skye asked.


    Hyacinth laughed. "I don''t know where you hear these things, but all of the children at Silver Run call her Granny-Ana. So while I wouldn''t say she has thousands of grandchildren, maybe fifty or so is more accurate."


    "Wow. Just wow." Skye commented. "Ivan, how many lies had you told today?"


    "One hundred and counting," Ivan deadpanned.


    "That''s another one."


    ***


    "Would you like me to walk you to the garden?" Hyacinth offered.


    "Sure," said Ivan. "Then Skye and I can go home, right?"


    Hyacinth nodded. "That''s right."


    The trio started walking in the direction of Silver Run''s central building. "If you have any questions, go ahead and ask them," Hyacinth offered. "I''ll be happy to answer."


    "Are you a mage? Do you think I''d make a good mage? What''s your life like over here?" Skye asked. "Oh, and by the way, you''re really pretty. Just wanted to say that."


    "Why, thank you," said Hyacinth, beaming. "And yes, I''m a healer mage. I''m also Avriya''s personal counselor and an instructor in aura combat. The work is tough, but I wouldn''t ask for anything better," she replied. "Also, Skye, though I''d like to say you''d make a good mage, I don''t know a thing about your current skill level. So it''s hard to say."


    "What''s your last name? What are your honest opinions on the people here? Do you have a boyfriend? Are you married? " Ivan probed.


    Hyacinth smiled and shook her head. "That''s enough from you."


    ***


    Skye peeked through the gates of Silver Run''s garden, and her senses were bombarded by a hodgepodge of flora. If this garden resembled anything, Skye thought, it wasn''t an orderly collection of neatly-trimmed flower beds for sure. No, a much more accurate descriptor for it would''ve been something that''s half-jungle, half-swamp, and half-abandoned cottage where a witch used to live and grow ingredients for potions that turned children into frogs. Or something like that.


    "Luka!! If you''re in there, can you come out please?!" Hyacinth shouted from the garden''s entrance. No response. The healer mage faced Skye and Ivan, a deflated look on her face. "I don''t think he''s here," Hyacinth apologized. "I''m sorry."


    "Wait," said Ivan, leaning into the gateway. "Let me try something."


    Hyacinth stared quizzically. "Try what?"


    "Hey! Weed man!" Ivan yelled into the masses of foliage. "Come out or your ass is grass!"


    A disembodied voice spoke up from the bushes a moment later. "Ivan?"


    "Mind if I stop by for a visit?" Ivan asked.


    "Sure."


    Skye took in the full view as she followed Ivan into the garden. Seedlings sprouted from cracks and crevices. Tendrils tangled themselves through the garden''s gates. Greenery grew, bushes bloomed, and weeds withered in the soil. A lone willow wept over the walkway.


    Suddenly Luka sprinted from the direction of some shrubberies. "Ivan," he said with a hint of irritation in his voice, "you should''ve told me you were bringing your sister."


    "Oh, guess I forgot to remind you," Ivan admitted. "Can she stay?"


    "Yeah," Luka replied. "But next time, don''t bring unexpected guests."


    ***


    Skye, Ivan, and Luka sat under the shade of the weeping willow, and Luka removed his hood, revealing a mess of sandy brown hair and forest-green eyes. "What brings you here?" He asked the Everson siblings.


    "Well, we were at HACF and Skye was about to get tagged," Ivan started. "And then I ran into Juliana, who I recognized from our video calls. Then she asked how my work was going."


    "Work?" Skye piped up. "What kind of work?"


    "Y''know, looking for aura-havers in need and spreading the word about Avriya to as many of them as possible¡­"


    "While keeping knowledge of it away from anybody that means us harm?" Luka asked.


    "Yeah. And from Skye," Ivan responded. "But only until today. When Juliana''s group infiltrated HACF and took Skye away in their van, I had to explain to her what was going on so she wouldn''t panic and ice the vehicle."


    "So you were working for Juliana this whole time?" Skye asked, her eyes wide.


    Ivan nodded. "Exactly."


    "For how long?"


    "Since summer."


    Skye crossed her arms. "And you didn''t tell me until now? Why?!"


    "You know why," Ivan said as he side-eyed his sister. "Because of your obsession with mages. If I told you about Avriya earlier, you''d be begging Mom and Dad to let you go here without thinking things through."


    "And why is that a bad thing?" Skye asked.


    "Our parents may not hate aura-havers, but I doubt they''ll let you go to an invisible island and train with mages just like that. Especially with Cloudgate''s ban on magic," Ivan responded. "Plus, how do we know that our parents won''t tell anybody about Avriya? Isn''t there a chance they''d find the part about keeping it a secret strange in the first place, and not take it seriously?"


    "We can explain to them that Avriya is hidden to protect the people who live here," Skye suggested. "And we can tell them that having me practice using my aura is actually a good thing, because if I learn how to control my ice, then I may be able to better suppress it¡­"


    "Our parents, unlike us, are model citizens, Skye," Ivan reminded her. "They''re average people, they stick to what''s familiar, they''re typical rule-followers who don''t want to stand out. Sure, they''ll question things here and there like any sane person, but they wouldn''t dare break the law. Because this island''s very existence goes against a lot of laws, I don''t know if letting our parents in on the secret will be good for Avriya as a whole. At best, they''ll be skeptical about letting you go, and at worst, they''ll report Avriya''s existence to the higher-ups. And if that happens, everybody who lives here is going to be in a lot of trouble."


    "So I should give up on becoming a mage?" Skye asked, a hint of sadness in her voice. "I get what you''re saying. It''s just disappointing, having everything I''ve wanted in front of me and losing it all. I hope you understand."


    Ivan sighed. "Skye, Avriya''s not the paradise you think it is. To most people living here, it''s all they have."


    "All they have?"


    "Most Avriyans didn''t ask their families for permission to go here because they didn''t have one!" Ivan snapped. "A lot of them are either orphans or they''re here because their families didn''t take good care of them. Luka''s in Avriya because he was scheduled for tagging and had nowhere else to go, but you? Unlike him, you have options! I know you could have gotten tagged as well, but Mom and Dad called off the appointment because they care about you. They want you to live a normal, happy, life because they care about your future. But here you are, willing to risk the security of hundreds of people, a lot of them less privileged than yourself, all so you can live out some stupid little fantasy. It''s not worth it, Skye."


    Skye exhaled. Wow Ivan, that hurt, she thought. But you''re right, I can be selfish sometimes¡­


    By now the sun had set and the first stars were out. Skye, Ivan, and Luka sat in silence for a while, and only the rustling of leaves and the chirping of crickets could be heard. Dusk¡ª it was Skye''s favorite time of day, when the air gets cooler and the world winds down and the stars and moon blink into the night sky. Maia may be a morning person, Cole may prefer afternoons, and Ivan may be the type to regularly stay up past 3 am, but to Skye, nothing could match the feeling of watching afternoon slip into evening as the last few traces of daylight lingered behind.


    "Hey, look. Fireflies." Skye pointed to three flickering points of light in the dark. But Ivan and Luka paid her no mind.


    "You never told me why you came here," Luka reminded Ivan. "Is there a reason or did you just want to see me?"


    "I came here because my sister was supposed to get tagged at HACF today," Ivan started, "but Juliana''s mages took Skye and some others away from the facility. We got driven off in a van, loaded onto a boat, and now we are here. I followed Juliana because I wanted to accompany Skye while she was getting rescued, though I''d say taken by force is more accurate. I didn''t want her to be alone without knowing what was going on."


    "These new rescue missions are getting out of hand," Luka remarked. "I remember when the mages simply handed out letters to aura-havers on the mainland. Then those people decided for themselves whether they wanted to go here or not. But now Avriya''s doing this instead, because according to their council, sending letters was too inefficient."


    "I know, right?" Ivan agreed. "Honestly, there were too many flaws with Juliana''s mission. So many things could have gone wrong, and we got lucky that the van didn''t explode because somebody''s aura went berserk or worse. Plus, you can''t force people to go to your island and say that you''re saving them, even if you give them the option to leave. And if they leave, now what? Now they have proof that Avriya exists, and can report it to the government or law enforcement if they want to. And why wouldn''t they report it after almost getting kidnapped? This plan is a mess if you ask me."


    Luka shook his head. "Don''t blame Juliana for this mess. Blame Mr Dalton."


    "Mr Dalton?" Skye asked.


    "Kai Dalton. He''s able to control metal," Ivan replied. "He''s the High Mage of Avriya''s council, so he makes most decisions involving this place. Of course, the other council members give him feedback in addition to carrying out his orders, but lately it feels like they''re becoming his puppets¡­"


    "Kai Dalton?" Skye asked. "Didn''t he lead the Cloudgate Crusaders?"


    "Yeah, he was a really famous guild leader before Cloudgate''s government passed the Boulderland Act, shutting down the mage guilds," Luka responded. "Rumor has it he''s still mad about losing his guild, so he introduced an intensive mage-training program to Avriya just to relive his glory days. And oddly enough, Mr Dalton seems to be weirdly obsessed with getting as many aura-havers onto this island as possible. It''s as if he''s trying to rebuild the Cloudgate Crusaders. No wonder he''s planning such high-risk, flawed, missions that involve invading tagging centers. If he keeps this up, all of Cloudgate''s gonna know that Avriya exists, and we''re gonna be known as the kidnappers who shove children into vans and "rescue" them without their permission."


    "I guess even famous guild leaders make mistakes," Skye noted. "Anyway, Ivan''s right about whatever happened today being poorly planned. The ride to Avriya was so chaotic, I don''t know how nobody found us."


    "Actually, somebody almost did," Ivan corrected. "Remember Cayto?"


    Skye nodded. "Yeah, I remember him. Didn''t Orion fall unconscious so he could take over his mind?"


    "And then Orion forgot he was still in the body of another person and entered the van as Cayto," Ivan recalled. "And when the spell wore off, Cayto saw where he was and got so mad. He was screaming at us about calling his dad like a kid on the playground threatening to tattle. It was hilarious."


    "I know," Skye said as she held back a chuckle. "Plus, I ran into him while looking for the bathroom at HACF. Turns out he''s an aura-haver."


    "He''s a what now?!" Ivan remarked. "Why is an aura-haver working for a business that traumatizes aura-havers for profit? Sounds dumb if you ask me."


    "No, he''s not just any aura-haver," Skye added. "He has a lightning aura. Fired off electric sparks from his hands right in front of me, at an aura correctional facility, out of all places. And then he had the audacity to tell me that I should be getting tagged. What a hypocrite."


    Ivan shook his head. "Wow. Just wow."


    "Oh, and let me tell you something," Skye added. "When I walked in on Cayto, I saw him using his aura. So I told him I was an aura-haver just like him, and then he rudely told me to get out. After that I called out his hypocrisy. And can you guess what he said next?"


    "What?" Ivan asked.


    "How about you mind your own business and let me do my damn job!" Skye mocked, laughing as she imitated Cayto''s voice. "He was trying so hard to sound tough it was hilarious." But I was actually really nervous at the time, Skye thought. I really hate it when people yell at me.


    "I''m not surprised that the son of Martin Halifax is such a jerk," Luka commented. "But the part about him having a lightning aura is news to me."


    "Wait," Ivan interrupted. "Skye, you said he could generate electricity?"


    Skye nodded. "Right."


    "And he worked at HACF?" Ivan asked.


    "Right."


    "And if tags use electricity to shock aura-havers into submission¡­"


    "You''re saying that his job could be producing shock tags?" Skye and Luka said in unison.


    "Yup," Ivan confirmed. Skye and Luka stared at him.


    The trio sat in silence again, and they stayed like that for a while. But this time, Ivan was the first one to break it.


    "It''s getting late," he noted, "we gotta go now."


    Skye sighed. "Sure we can''t stay longer?"


    "Nope." Ivan responded. "We have to leave."


    Luka looked up from the ground. "You should definitely get going," he said, glancing at the gateway. "So goodbye, I guess. See you soon. Or later. Or never again, I don''t know."


    "Goodbye!" Ivan yelled as he grabbed Skye''s arm and made his way down the cobblestone path with her. Skye waved to Luka with her other arm as she followed her brother to the gate, not wanting to go just yet but having no choice. Ivan then opened the gate with a creak, walking her out of the garden and into the cool autumn night.

 1.4- No Mercy for a Halifax

    Cayto trudged down Avriya''s Bay Street, shivering as the evening air bit his skin. For him it was one of those nights, another one of those nights where the stars and the moon felt colder and further away than they did before. It was one of those nights where the houses on the street, with their white wooden walls and their gray tiled roofs, judged him harshly through their glowing window eyes. It was one of those nights where the moon glared down at him and the stars laughed at him as they twinkled and even the wind whispered through the trees, throwing shade on Cayto as he walked on by:


    Did you see the boy with those weird-looking circles under his eyes? A birch tree muttered to a big old oak. That''s Cayto. He''s a traitor and a stain on his family''s name. Why would he throw away his high standing, his good prospects, and his only chance to take over Halifax Industries just so he could run away to Avriya? Dumb move if you ask me.


    I know, right? The oak tree agreed. He''s nothing more than a blundering, incompetent, useless idiot. Cayto should''ve jumped out of that van earlier and let himself get run over on the highway. The world would be a much better place without him.


    But it wasn''t the trees saying any of those things, it was Cayto¡¯s own predictions of what everyone thought of him. And so, he slapped himself in the face. What the hell are you thinking?! He scolded himself. Stop worrying so much, it''s making you look stupid! If either of your parents were here, they''d slap the shit out of you.


    And so, Cayto walked on, his face bruised and stinging, in search of a phone to contact the Halifax residence with. He had to call his parents right away, because if he couldn''t convince them that it was not his choice to suddenly dissapear, who knows what would happen to him? Because Cayto was away from everything, he could lose it all¡ª his position as the next owner of Halifax Industries, his scholarship offers from multiple private universities in Thunderport and Skypoint, and the respect of everyone around him, including his parents, all because they''d think that he chose to run away from them. But Cayto would never abandon everything he had like that! He wasn''t supposed to get abducted, nor was he supposed to be here. He had to escape Avriya as soon as possible, because his father had told him that in order to take over HI, Cayto had to electrify 50 vials a day for 7 years. There was no way he could do that at Avriya.


    Cayto walked up to one of the houses on the block, knocking the door three times. The door opened, and a barefoot girl in a loose white t-shirt stood before him. "Hey," she greeted him. "Anything you need?"


    "I need a phone," Cayto requested. "It''s urgent."


    "Here! Borrow mine," the girl responded, dropping a sturdy and heavy flip phone into Cayto''s hand. "Take as much time as you need."


    But just as Cayto was about to dial, he felt the phone fly out of his hands, knocking him back at full speed in the chest. He staggered a few steps backwards as the phone hit the porch with a loud clunk. ¡°Hey, what was that for?" Cayto yelled as an angry-looking young man came charging to the forefront of the house.


    The girl in the white t-shirt turned to face her housemate. ¡°Just so you know, it''s not nice to hit our visitors,¡± she reminded him. "And it''s especially rude to make objects fly into them."


    ¡°Get. Away. From. Him.¡± The telekinetic warned the girl, a fearful look in his eyes. His hand shaking, he pointed at Cayto. ¡°You should know who he is.¡±


    The girl, wide-eyed and afraid, quickly grabbed her phone off the ground and stared at the young man. ¡°But he needed to make that call.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. He''s still one of the Halifaxes. This is what he has done.¡± The young man rolled up his sleeve to reveal a web of scars, smaller marks branching off larger marks like limbs on a tree. The marks of electrical currents.


    "Sorry. I¡¯ll be more careful next time,¡± The girl apologized as she quickly shut the door. Cayto rolled his eyes. That dude needs to get over himself, he thought. If he got injured by a shock tag, that''s on him for failing to control his curse.


    And so, Cayto walked on, going from house to house only to receive more hostile looks and slammed doors in his face. But despite this pattern, he was not ashamed of his family''s work. No, these people should be ashamed of themselves, for failing to hold back their curses, for exiling themselves from Cloudgate, for choosing to live as deviants on some secluded island.


    Cayto knew that being cursed was a choice and having an aura was not. Despite whatever that crazy ice girl may claim, nothing could change the fact that she was wrong about him being as cursed as she was. Curses are threats. They cause chaos and ruin lives. Cayto''s lightning aura wasn''t a curse, because unlike most aura-havers, he always had his aura under control, using it only for shock tags and nothing more. It was fine for him to use magic for that purpose and only that purpose because shock tags were important¡ª they kept curses in check and generated revenue for Halifax Industries.


    By the time Cayto walked down the block, nobody handed him a phone, and he was getting impatient. However, he wasn''t going to give up just yet¡ª he''d find another way to contact his parents for sure. But how? He already tried breaking past the wind barrier but it was too strong. He tried asking others for help, but was coldly dismissed each time.


    Then Cayto remembered what Juliana said about Avriya earlier on the beach: "it is the last place where magic is not only legal, but actively taught." Actively taught. Did mages live here? Perhaps they were given some higher status and were allowed to leave Avriya? It wasn''t an unlikely conclusion. The people on the van all looked like trained mages, and if they were able to infiltrate HACF, they probably were also allowed to leave Avriya. So if Cayto trained alongside these mages, then he''d get to know their weaknesses. He''d be given certain allowances, such as permission to leave the island, and then, when the opportunity was given to him, he''d escape as soon as possible. And if the mages didn''t let him leave, at least Cayto would know how to fight back.


    Of course, this plan was unappealing. Cayto knew he wasn''t supposed to like doing this because he knew that using aura magic was wrong. However, it wasn¡¯t like he was actually on Avriya''s side. He was working against them, and once he got back to Cloudgate, everybody would know about Avriya thanks to him. No more hiding, no more secrets. If Cayto came back from Avriya with knowledge of its existence, and if he told the officials about it, his disappearance would be excused. The curses would be eliminated thanks to him, and he''d be proving that he wasn''t a stain on the Halifax name despite what his mother thought of him.


    After a few minutes of walking, Cayto found a bench to lie down on. It was cold and uncomfortable, and the armrests prevented him from stretching out. Cayto lay down on the bench and hugged his knees to his chest, willing himself to fall asleep. But he couldn''t sleep. Not outdoors on a street bench, and not when the air was this cold and he had no mattress or blanket. And he definitely couldn''t sleep with the overwhelming anxiety plaguing him.


    What if everybody forgets me once I get home? Cayto thought. What if all of the work I''ve put into being good at what I do, everything I''ve done to prove that I was actually worth something¡ª what if it was all for nothing?


    ***


    "We''re going to Avriya. Aren''t you happy?" Ivan asked Skye as they waited at the bus stop. She nodded.


    "Of course I am!" Skye declared. "Thank you so much, by the way. I don''t know what I''d do without you¡ª"


    "Not so fast," Ivan reminded his sister. "I''ve gotten you this far, and our parents don''t even know. You owe me."


    "Oh." Skye''s face fell. "What do I owe you exactly?"


    "Your notebook," Ivan replied. "You know which one."


    For a moment, a disconcerted expression crossed Skye''s face. "Sure you don''t just want me to do your laundry instead?"


    Ivan shook his head. "Nope. I won''t accept anything other than the notebook."


    Suddenly the bus pulled over. "Oh look," Skye commented, taking the opportunity to redirect the conversation. "It''s the bus. We should get on board."If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The Everson siblings entered the bus, located a pair of seats, and sat themselves down, but that didn''t distract Ivan. "It''s only fair you give it to me, after all I''ve done," he pressed. "You''ve always wanted to be a mage, haven''t you? Now you are, but remember, this wouldn''t be happening if I wasn''t here to help you. So hand over the notebook, or else we''re not going to Avriya."


    Skye pulled her notebook out of her bag and threw it at Ivan''s head. "Here! Take it!" She blurted. "You asked for it, you got it!"


    Ivan winced, rubbing his head. "Ow. That was unnecessary."


    Skye crossed her arms. "Totally was!"


    Ivan flipped through the pages, an irritatingly self-satisfied look on his face. "Hmm, where should I stop?" He mused out loud before opening the book on a messy doodle of a creature with fins. "Oh, look. A fish man."


    "That''s a seal." Skye corrected.


    "Nope. Fish man."


    Skye slumped in her seat. "Why do you feel the need to do this?"


    ***


    "Yay! We''re here!" Skye announced as she and her brother stood at Silver Run''s gates. "I don''t know about you, but I''m super excited."


    A woman with olive skin and lavender-tinted hair approached the gates. Skye recognized the woman as Avriya''s main healer, Hyacinth. "Welcome back, Ivan!" Hyacinth greeted Skye''s brother. "Oh, and welcome back, Skye. I''ve heard you wanted to learn magic?"


    "Yeah, totally!" Skye exclaimed. "So where are these mage classes I''ve heard about?"


    "They''re starting really soon. For now you can wait by the fountain." Hyacinth gestured towards the fountain in Silver Run''s courtyard. "The other students are there, so why don''t you go talk to them? Maybe you''ll make some new friends."


    Skye laughed nervously. "Ivan, can you come with me? I don''t think I can do this alone..."


    Ivan nodded. "Will do."


    "Thanks!¡ª Oh, wait." Skye said, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Won''t there be anything you''ll expect in return?"


    "Not this time," Ivan responded. "I''ll help you with whatever you need."


    The trio entered the courtyard, Skye and Ivan splitting off in one direction, Hyacinth in the other. Skye approached the fountain''s edge, occupying a space between her brother and a stranger. Just as Skye was about to ask her brother if she could talk to the stranger, the stranger turned to her and spoke.


    "Hey!" The stranger greeted, startling Skye. "My name''s Nova."


    Skye looked up at Nova and gave her a small smile. "Oh. Hey."


    "I assume you must be new here?" Nova asked Skye. "Haven''t seen you around before."


    Skye nodded.


    "That''s so cool!" Nova exclaimed. "Are you signed up for the aura level evaluation by any chance?"


    "Yeah she is," Ivan answered. He gave an exasperated half-smile towards Skye, one that could only remind her of the endless back-and-forth arguing between Ivan and herself. Skye remembered it all too well: she gave Ivan every reason why she should train at Silver Run Academy, and he gave Skye every reason why she shouldn''t, but in the end they settled on a compromise: Skye would go to Avriya without the knowledge of her parents, eliminating Ivan''s biggest concern, and Ivan would help her with the commute and cover up any knowledge of their location. But there was a catch¡ª in exchange for his help, Ivan could demand whatever he wanted from his sister. Mainly chores.


    Nova and Skye talked for a while, about Avriya, about auras and magic, about their own daily lives. Along the way Skye had picked up some new interesting tidbits of information about Nova: Nova had lived at Avriya for as long as she could remember, and has been training her aura, which gave her the ability to teleport, for at least three years. She frequently attended classes at Silver Run Academy to learn magic, and her instructor''s name was Felix, or Mr. Everett as she called him. Nova was currently sharing a house with Aaron, a telekinetic with a history of getting into fights. Fortunately, Aaron had never really fought with her. "He''s like my big brother," Nova stated. "He can be intense, and he doesn''t trust anyone who isn''t an aura-haver, but I don''t think he''s a bad person."


    Skye shrugged. "All this hate and division, it''s so frustrating. Why can''t we just get along and accept that an aura, or a lack of one, does not define us?"


    Soon enough, the clusters of people scattered across the courtyard began converging in one big group toward the exit. "I think the evaluation is about to start," Nova noted. "You should get going. I''m staying behind, so don''t worry about me."


    "Will do!" Skye assured Nova as she traveled to the courtyard''s exit, disappearing into the crowd as it poured through the gates.


    ***


    Skye looked around. She was standing in a field with a group of people, with Hyacinth at the front. "One, two, three¡­" she started, doing a headcount. She stopped at 19. "Good, I have everyone."


    "Anyway, I''d like to introduce myself." Hyacinth continued. "My name is Hyacinth and I''m an instructor in aura combat. I am 26 years old and a regeneration healer. Welcome to our evaluation. The purpose of it is to test your level of competence with magic, which will be used to place you in a class based on your abilities. Do any of you have experience with using your aura?"


    "I do," a certain dark-haired, purple-eyed boy responded. He looked abnormally sleep-deprived and all too familiar, more familiar than Skye would''ve liked him to be. The other students whispered:


    "Isn''t that Cayto?"


    "Yeah. I''ve heard he got taken to Avriya against his will and isn''t allowed to leave."


    "Oh my god, he got kidnapped?"


    "Not on purpose. But he definitely hates us. Bet he''s looking at us and planning his revenge at this very moment."


    "Y''all are that afraid of Cayto? I could easily take him in a fight."


    "Shut up Collin. You know you ain''t shit¡ª"


    "Enough!" Hyacinth yelled over the group. She turned to Cayto. "Cayto, right?" She asked him.


    Cayto nodded. "Yes."


    Hyacinth drew a check mark on her clipboard next to his name. "Good, I have you here. Follow me." She led the boy to a section of field further from the rest of the group as they and Skye watched attentively. "If you''re unfamiliar with a skill or if you find it too difficult to replicate, please let me know," Hyacinth instructed. Cayto nodded. And so, his evaluation began:


    "Straight line!" Hyacinth shouted.


    Cayto shot a line of electricity in front of him.


    "Crisscross!"


    Fingers pointed, Cayto stuck both of his arms up in front of him, slightly crossing them while sending two overlapping streaks of lightning through the air. Upon completing this task, Cayto was breathing heavily, but his relief only lasted for a moment before Hyacinth started calling out more skills that were rapidly increasing in difficulty. Cayto''s attempts to follow through were taking a visible toll on him.


    At first Cayto was able to keep up, albeit not without exerting himself, but eventually, the sparks he was releasing were singing his sleeves, and the lightning wielder was staggering as if he could fall over at any moment. Even Cayto''s own aura was failing to protect him from the constant stream of electricity he was forcing himself to release, making his hands and the rest of his body bleed. And yet, whenever Hyacinth asked him if he wanted to quit or decrease the evaluation''s difficulty level, he''d always refuse.


    "Cayto, your evaluation is over." Hyacinth reminded him, approaching the lightning-wielder.


    "But¡­ the static¡­ shield?" Cayto gasped between breaths. "You¡­ told¡­ me¡­ to make one."


    "Don''t bother with that. I need to get your injuries fixed first." Hyacinth said. "Wait here."


    "Did¡­ I¡­ do¡­ well?" Cayto asked, his voice weakening.


    "You have potential," Hyacinth replied. "But when I said "do your best" I didn''t mean "push yourself to the point of collapse." The healer placed her hands on Cayto''s wounds, and a soft pink glow enveloped the affected areas. A moment later, her patient started looking a little less battered, but was still gasping for air.


    "Boo!!" An aura-haver from the crowd yelled. "Why are you helping him?!" As if on cue, the rest of the crowd followed the aura-haver''s example.


    "Don''t you know who he is?!" Another person shouted. "Don''t waste your efforts on that piece of garbage!"


    Skye stood back as the group took part in degrading Cayto in one way or another. It was painful for her to watch, because in truth, Skye was angry. But she didn''t know if she was angrier at Cayto or the others on the field, because as much as she disliked him, here he was, already at his lowest, and everybody was kicking him down even further. One boy spat at Cayto, another kicked him in the face. There was a girl claiming that Cayto deserved to be bullied because of his previous contributions to Halifax Industries. Her sentiment was echoed by another person who said that Cayto should be left with his injuries so he would know how shock tags felt like. When Cayto stopped breathing, a few people cheered and laughed. The chants that followed and continued to grow in magnitude were so cruel and overwhelming, Skye felt like they were choking her: "Die!" "Die!" Die!"


    Skye couldn''t bring herself to join, as the mocking and taunting was much too merciless for her liking. But she didn''t try to stop the crowd either, because in truth, she also disliked Cayto. So she stayed on the sidelines, not getting herself involved but not taking a stand, simply because Skye did not think it was worth drawing attention to herself for the sake of someone whom she didn''t even like. But still, she thought it was strange that Cayto, producer of shock tags and next owner of Halifax Industries, would try to learn aura magic.


    Why would Cayto attend Hyacinth''s aura level evaluation in the first place? Skye wondered. And why would he push himself so hard? Did his views on magic change? Was he trying to prove something?


    Hyacinth attempted to silence the crowd after she chased them away from Cayto. At once, the crowd dispersed, but the energy of pure, unfiltered, hatred continued to flow through it. Meanwhile, the boy was carried into the backseat of a white car and driven off. "Cayto is not dead. I checked." Hyacinth stated. "He is going to the infirmary, so don''t you dare get disappointed if he turns out fine."


    After Hyacinth retrieved her clipboard, the energy of the crowd ebbed. "I''m really disappointed with all of you," the healer reproached the group. "This is not how we act towards our fellow mages." Almost at once, the crowd hushed. Hyacinth waited, her eyes fixed in a cold stare, her lips a thin line. The silence penetrated each and every person on the field.


    Then in an abrupt shift in mood, Hyacinth started smiling once again. "Anyway, we''re continuing our evaluation!" She announced. "Skye, you''re next."


    Her head swimming with nervous excitement, Skye stepped up to join Hyacinth.

 1.5- Handshakes, Hardship and Humiliation

    "Hyacinth, help me!" Skye called out. "My feet are stuck!"


    "Unstick your feet then!" Hyacinth yelled back.


    Skye groaned. Not so long ago, she thought that learning magic would be the best experience of her life. But here she was, humiliating herself in front of a crowd of eighteen people while trying to use her so-called gift. Somebody please shoot me, she thought, staring down at her frost-coated shoes so she wouldn''t have to stare at her audience. I can''t do this anymore¡ª


    If you want, I can shoot you! An obnoxious voice echoed inside Skye''s brain. Skye, not knowing whether she should be grateful or freaked out, would''ve jumped if her feet weren''t trapped in a mound of ice. She scanned her eyes over the crowd to see if she could locate the voice''s source, and moments later, encountered a disturbing sight:


    It was a pigtailed girl with pink and black hair and bright colored eyes. She was staring at Skye in a terrifying manner, a menacing grin on her face. At that moment, Skye could only think one thing: I''m fucked. I''m totally fucked.


    Again, that same voice popped into Skye''s head. Just kidding! Wanna be friends?


    I guess? Skye mentally replied, not turning the girl down out of fear for her own life and sanity. Though it would be nice if you stopped staring at me like that. You''re freaking me out.


    Fine by me! The voice responded. Then the girl looked away, and the voice inside Skye''s head silenced.


    "Sky-ye!" Hyacinth shouted, bringing Skye back into her surroundings. "Are you still there?!"


    "Yes, yes I am!" Skye quavered. "I''m sorry, what happened?"


    "You were standing completely still, with a blank stare on your face, not registering a single word I''ve said!" Hyacinth recounted. "Why won''t you try pulling your feet out of that ice mound so we can continue?"


    Skye nodded. One by one, she yanked her knees up violently, freeing her feet from their icy trap but leaving her boots behind. Her socks, now wet, had slid off her heels and scrunched up at the soles of her feet, so she pulled them up and started her next mission: regaining her footwear. After a while, she managed to break both of her boots free from the mound, going back and forth between pulling on her boots and stomping on the ice until it shattered. With a shudder, she pulled both of her soggy boots on, her feet wet and numb from the cold. "Does this happen to other cryokinetics, or is it just me?" Skye asked. "Whenever I use my aura, the ice always sticks to my hands or feet."


    "I haven''t seen something like this before, but I''m sure it can be fixed," Hyacinth reassured her. "And by the way, we''re running out of time. We can only do one more skill together, so I''m letting you choose it."


    "Okay!" Skye replied, suddenly remembering an aura-related ability that she had read about and learned when she was ten. To this day it was her best skill, the one she was most proud of, but she wasn''t able to show it to anyone because of Cloudgate''s rules against magic. Now after all these years, this was her chance to finally reveal it. "Hailstorm!"


    "Hailstorm?" Hyacinth remarked. Skye raised her arms, trying to make the shards of ice fall from the air, but nothing happened. She groaned.


    "Hello-o! I said hailstorm!" Skye repeated. One thing was clear: her magic was rusty. The last time Skye tried to intentionally create ice was when she was thirteen, attempting to cool herself off in the middle of a heat wave. For that, she got caught by her parents and given a stern talking-to, so she hadn''t attempted to use her aura since then.


    Skye was wondering where her ice storm went until a moment later it hit her. "Skye!" Hyacinth yelled worriedly. Instead of raining down in smaller pellets, the hailstorm Skye summoned fell as one large block, dropping from the air and landing on her head. Skye gasped and staggered forward, rubbing her head through her beanie. "Oh my gosh! Do you have a concussion?" Hyacinth asked in a panicked voice. Skye shook her head.


    "Good. Should I heal you?" Hyacinth asked again, still slightly panicked but less so.


    "Yeah," Skye mumbled. Hyacinth took off Skye''s beanie and placed a hand on her injury, releasing a warm sensation that radiated through her skull. Almost at once, the pain in Skye''s head ebbed from a sharp throb to a dull ache. "Thanks," she said weakly. "Is this the end?"


    "Yes. Your evaluation is over," Hyacinth confirmed. "You may go now."


    "Thank you," Skye mumbled. She trudged into the crowd with her head drooped and her shoulders slumped. Wow. I screwed up horribly, she thought. There go my chances of becoming a mage¡ª


    "Hey Skye!" The pigtailed telepath girl chirruped. She stuck her hand out as if expecting a handshake. "Name''s Alexis. Nice to meetcha!"


    "Hey." Skye hesitantly shook Alexis''s hand. "Did we just talk earlier, but without talking?"


    Alexis nodded and Skye''s eyes widened. "Wow. That was cool," Skye remarked, laughing nervously. "But next time, can you not stare into my soul like that? I was a bit freaked out, no offense."


    ***


    Cayto rolled over and opened his eyes, finding himself in a white-walled room with a closed window next to his bed. To the left of him were four more beds, all of them empty. Cayto stared at the floor, which was made out of plywood. He had a bit of an internal freakout after realizing that he didn''t know where he was. He didn''t get kidnapped again, did he?


    Cayto had no idea where he was or how he got here. All he knew was that he should probably leave. In an attempt to push himself out of bed, Cayto propped himself up with his elbow. A sharp pain jolted through his upper arm and side. He winced, breathing heavily. Ow.


    Cayto looked down at himself from underneath the blanket. His clothes from before were gone, replaced by a thin blue gown and a bandage wrapped around his chest and right shoulder. He tried again to leave his bed, but he could barely sit, let alone stand. His head felt cloudy, like he had just woke from a fever dream. What the hell happened to me?


    A few moments later, a young man about Cayto''s age entered the room. "Hey!" The visitor greeted him. He had a tall frame, blonde hair, and teal eyes. Cayto thought he might''ve seen this person before, but he couldn''t recall when or where since his mind was still quite foggy. "Is there anything you need?"


    "Not from you, that''s for sure," Cayto mumbled. "I just need to get out of here."


    The visitor cocked his head. "When you say "here," do you mean right here in the infirmary room, or do you mean Avriya as a whole?"


    "I mean both. Both are shit."


    "Not holding back, are you?" The visitor quipped. "Honestly, I can''t blame you. When you''ve spent all your life with parents as rich as yours, everything that''s not fine dining and servants and private jets is suddenly beneath yourself. Is that how you feel? Do you look on the entirety of Avriya and all of its people with disdain? Are you that mad about losing your wealth and needing to face reality like the rest of us peasants?"


    Cayto shook his head. "My dad was actually quite frugal, mind you." he uttered. "I still hate Avriya though."


    The visitor leaned forward, startling Cayto. "Why?"


    Cayto paused. Why do I hate Avriya? He thought. To state the obvious, it''s where I''m being held prisoner. "Because of the curses and aura manifestations," he finally said after thinking for a while. "Auras are an unstable source of magic and we shouldn''t be using them. They''re dangerous and illegal."


    The visitor stared at Cayto with a blank look of disapproval. "Come on. You''re literally here because you used your aura too much."


    "Wait what?" Cayto thought his brain might have short-circuited. There was no way he could have used his aura for anything other than shock tagging. Him? Practice that kind of magic? He wasn''t stupid. "I never did that!"


    "You totally did!" The guest shot back. "If you aren''t acting innocent and you really don''t know what I''m talking about, I''m guessing that the accident you went through might''ve given you brain damage. In that case, I''ll have to explain everything that has happened to you up until this point."


    Cayto sighed. "Talking to you gives me brain damage."


    "So¡­" the guest started, "five days ago, you signed up for Hyacinth''s aura level evaluation. Then for the following days leading up to it, you were practicing your magic. I''ve heard from Elliot that you''ve checked out three books from the library, all of them on the topic of lightning auras, and Juliana told me about your "practice" sessions. According to her, you would take your books and go out on the field multiple times a day so you could attempt your latest skill or whatever. I even passed you once or twice. You were putting on quite a show."


    Suddenly Cayto remembered that vague outline of an escape plan which he had, the one where he was going to train his aura at Silver Run Academy and fight back against the aura-havers. True, Cayto hated curses. But this plan could be his only chance to ever go home. "Was my practice good at least?"


    "What do you think?" The guest asked. "If you''ve messed up your trial so badly that you''ve shocked yourself and can''t remember a thing, do you really think your practice was any better? You should have seen yourself." The guest pulled out his phone and played a video of the lightning user on the field, and Cayto looked on in horror. He sat, petrified as he watched himself butcher every single move, becoming a living, breathing, lightning hazard for a grand total of two minutes and eighteen seconds. And to think that was only what was caught of himself on camera! "For a moment I thought you got possessed by the lightning demons, so at 0:45 I moved away and took the rest of the video from a safe distance," the guest added. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    Cayto stared at the wall so hard he might as well have drilled a hole into it. "If you were so concerned for your safety, why didn''t you just stop the video?"


    The guest laughed. "I couldn''t. Watching you was like watching a car crash. Horrifying, yet oddly intriguing¡ª"


    Cayto''s eyes narrowed. "You like watching car crashes?"


    "Not really, I guess it has more to do with morbid curiosity than actually enjoying what I''m seeing. It''s human nature to be fascinated by vehicular accidents, y''know. Why do you think the expression "it was like watching a train wreck: I couldn''t look away" exists? Why do so many movies have vehicles exploding or crashing or falling off the roads and rails in them? Why are bumper cars so popular at fairs and amusement parks? There''s your answer: people have a strange fixation on vehicles ramming into things. I hope my explanation was sufficient."


    Cayto gave the guest a blank stare. "You''re weird."


    The guest stared back. "No, you are."


    "Wait¡­" Cayto stared at the young man again, this time more intently. "Have I seen you before? All this talk of spiritual possession and vehicles reminded me of something. Over a week ago, I was at HACF. Then I saw a fainting man, and my memory blanked out afterwards. An unspecified amount of time later, I found myself in a van after I supposedly got controlled by said fainting man. Weren''t you one of the others in that van? I remember seeing someone who looked exactly like you."


    The young man smiled. "Yeah, I was there. I remember seeing you as well. You were throwing a tantrum and screaming about calling your dad¡ª"


    Cayto''s fists clenched. "Don''t remind me."


    "Oh, I will," the guest said in a way that sounded both irritating and reassuring at the same time. "Anyway, I''m assuming now that you want to know my name. Right, Cayto?"


    Cayto nodded. "Right."


    The guest stuck out his hand. "I''m Ivan, nice to meet you," he finally said. "I''ll be back next time I have infirmary duty."


    Cayto shook Ivan''s hand. "Thanks for checking in on me.¡±


    ***


    That night, Cayto fought back tears and wrapped his arms around his pillow, burying his face in it. "Die! Die! Die!" The voices from the field shouted, reverberating through Cayto''s mind, forcing him awake when all he wanted to do was sleep. As much as he willed the voices to stop, the taunts of the aura-bearers wouldn''t leave him alone. Instead they dragged on, intermingling with other voices. One of them was the stern voice of his father, which normally would have brought Cayto back to his senses, but this time stung him all the more:


    "Quit crying like a baby, you''re embarrassing yourself." Cayto could hear Martin say, his booming voice echoing in his ears. "You''re the next leader of Halifax Industries, not some stupid little girl. If you''re going to act all gross like that, nobody will take you seriously."


    Cayto knew Mr Halifax was right. He desperately wished he could stop crying like his father would have told him to, but it was no use. Instead he shoved his face further into his pillow, squeezing it tightly. Maybe if he got lucky, he''d suffocate himself to death. He''d be more valuable dead than alive, right? The Avriyans, his mother, didn''t they all wish him to disappear off the face of the earth?


    9 years ago:


    Martin lurched forward and gasped in pain. Both his shirt and his skin were burnt, and Cayto stared at him with huge violet eyes. "D-did I do that?" The child stuttered. "I''m sorry daddy, I''m sorry!"


    "I¡­ expected¡­. better from you¡­" Mr Halifax sputtered between breaths. He put up a hand as if to say "give me a moment," and Cayto stood still. "Don''t let mommy know¡­"


    Suddenly Sierra burst into the room, her eyes aflame. "Martin!" She screamed. "I knew it was only a matter of time!"


    Martin looked up at his wife, his face calm and unaffected. "Sierra, there''s no need to work yourself up. I can handle this, I swear¡ª"


    But Sierra was having none of it. "That demon!" She screeched, pointing at Cayto with a trembling hand. "You knew you should have listened to me when I told you to get rid of him, but no, you just had to ignore my warnings! Now look at yourself!"


    Martin''s face contorted for a moment after he brushed against his burn. But his expression returned to neutral, though he remained hunched over from the impact of the shock. "Sierra," he said earnestly, "Cayto may be an aura-haver, but he''s still a good kid. That doesn''t change because he accidentally struck me once."


    Sierra crossed her arms. "Cayto?! Good?! How?!"


    "Have you seen our son?" Martin shot back. "You know better than anyone how he is! He''s honest, hardworking, and always doing his best to make us proud. But maybe he''s a bit too honest¡­" Martin laughed weakly, and Cayto glanced at his parents in confusion. "Though I''m aware of the damage that auras have done, I know we should keep Cayto around because his electricity is the curse to end all curses. Shock tags wouldn''t exist if it weren''t for his lightning aura, and look at how great we''re doing thanks to them! Halifax Industry''s profits have increased twofold, the rate of aura manifestation is down by 65% in Skypoint, and we''re getting more investors than ever before. Is that not what you want?"


    Sierra''s eyes narrowed. "Numbers!" She shrieked, her voice piercing the air. "Numbers! Is that all you care about?! What about our safety?! Our integrity?! Don''t you see how hypocritical we look when we speak of the evils of curses, only to use them ourselves as a means to an end?!" As Sierra was ranting, Martin stared at her blankly and Cayto shrunk into a corner. "Martin, Cayto, both of you! You''re unbelievable!"


    Cayto stepped in to confront his mother, his legs shaking. "I''m sorry for hurting daddy," he confessed, "I only wanted to hug him, but then the sparks shot out of my hands and did this¡­"


    "Sorry? Sorry?! THE HELL YOU MEAN, SORRY?!" Sierra fumed. "This may not be the first time you pulled off this shit, but I''ll make SURE it''s your last! Now stand right there and don''t say a word so I can beat every last bit of that lightning curse out of you!" Sierra screeched at Cayto. "And don''t you DARE fight back!"


    The first blow came to Cayto''s face. He flinched, and blood trickled down from his nose. The boy felt his electricity crackle inside him again, so he held his breath to prevent it from getting out and shocking his mother. He couldn''t make her hate him more than she already did, or else his father would be disappointed in him too, and he''d be forced to stay in his room or skip dinner. But just as Cayto was about to lose control of himself, Martin stepped in:


    "Stop. If you beat him any longer, he''s going to hurt you," Martin warned Sierra. Sierra begrudgingly drew her hand away from Cayto but kept her glare fixated on the child. After she finally put enough distance between him and herself, the boy exhaled and unclenched his right fist. In horror, he stared at the sparks flying out of his palm.


    ***


    Cayto drifted back to the present. He no longer was trying to choke himself with a pillow, but instead was lying on his back. It was pitch dark outside, and the digital clock on the windowsill displayed the time next to him: 2:47 am. Cayto hadn''t gotten a good night''s sleep since he first arrived at Avriya, and his injuries from the trial, the harassment from other aura-havers, and his fear of falling behind once he got home weren''t helping him either. For all he knew, his parents would''ve thought he was being irresponsible or lazy by running away from them when that was far from reality. True, they were tough on him, but Cayto wasn''t a wimp. He was still determined to prove himself, just like his father would have wanted of him. "If anybody disrespects you," Martin had told him, "you must prove them wrong. Don''t cry or scream or let your emotions get the best of you. Simply do what you have to do to change their mind."


    Cayto was not going to become one of those degenerate curse-bearers Sierra thought he was. That''s why he was working so hard to find a way out of Avriya. Then once he escaped Avriya, he would expose its secrets for all to see, and the unregulated curse-bearers who infested this place would face justice. If Cayto went through with that, he''d be proving himself as someone good and his mother would have one less reason to disrespect him. Additionally, he knew that no matter what happened, he''d never become one of them. Cayto was a Halifax first and a curse-bearer last.


    But at the back of his mind was a single voice, a soft yet persistent whisper which he ever-so-desperately tried to ignore. But you already are one of them, it nagged. The moment you decided to teach yourself aura magic, you became a criminal. There''s no returning from that.


    ***


    "Hey, have you heard?" Skye''s father asked as he walked in his daughter''s room. "Your mom and I enrolled you in a new school. Newham High, I think it''s called. Ivan told us about it, and supposedly their policies on aura-havers are more relaxed than Springs."


    "Cool!" Skye responded as she rocked in her chair. The afternoon light poured in from her window, and a lilac-colored blanket draped her bed. On her bookshelf stood a single lamp, switched off for the afternoon. Though Skye''s face remained more or less neutral, inwardly she was smiling. A lot. Enrolling in Newham High was all part of the larger plan Ivan had set for her so she could become a mage at Silver Run Academy.


    As it turned out, Avriya wasn''t the only gathering spot of the last mages, though it was their main base. They actually ran a (not literally) underground network spanning the entirety of Cloudgate which included a few sister schools of Silver Run Academy. One of those sister schools was Newham, which was open to the public but secretly tied with SRA. If a student enrolled at SRA, they could also enroll in Newham or any other sister school, so a diploma from Silver Run Academy would directly translate to a diploma from one of those sister schools. Under this system, Skye could receive her education at SRA, learn magic, and not be questioned by her parents or Cloudgate''s authorities. She''d simply be registered as a Newham student, avoiding suspicion.


    Suddenly Skye''s phone pinged, and she reached for it on her nightstand. The lock screen had one new notification, which was a text from Ivan. Trial results are in, it read.


    What are mine? Skye texted back.


    Skye received another text from Ivan. I have bad news, the text read, followed by a sad face. Skye''s heart dropped, but then a new message appeared on her screen: You''re in the beginners group.


    Skye held back a chuckle. Beginner''s group? That wasn''t bad at all! She already set her expectations so low after her failed performance that simply getting into any class was a pleasant surprise for her. That''s not bad news! Skye responded. Just being in a group is enough for me.


    Beginner. Beginner 1. Ivan replied. If words on a screen could appear ominous, Ivan''s text most certainly did.


    Skye laughed. What, were you expecting me to make Advanced 3 on the first try? I may not be a pro right away, but Beginner 1 is a good start! She replied.


    While Skye was looking down at her phone, her mother barged into her room. "Smiling at your phone, I see?" She asked. "Do you have a boyfriend?"


    Skye shook her head. "Do I look like I''m able to get one?"


    "Don''t say that about yourself! You''re a lot cuter than you think you are," Maia reassured. Skye shrugged. "What was it you were smiling at?"


    Oh shit. She''s gonna find out, Skye thought to herself. For a moment Skye panicked, but then she quickly switched her screen to some random pun about bread she had saved on her phone and showed it to her mom. "Here it is."


    Maia laughed. "Haha. Funny. Cliche but funny," she said. Then Maia left, and Skye let out a breath she didn''t know she was holding. Whew. Crisis averted. Skye thought. Then she received another text from Ivan:


    Thought you knew everything when it came to magic, but I was wrong, the text read, followed by a sad face. Guess you''re not as big of a mage nerd as I thought you were.


    "Mage nerd" lol, Skye texted back. It would be cool if I qualified as an actual mage, but alas, I am but a lowly mage nerd.