In Andoths...
Tyra gasped as she woke up, holding her head in pain. She squinted her eyes, trying hard to forget what happened earlier.
She felt unsafe been alone in an unfamiliar room as she looked around. She slowly stood up from the bed glancing at every object in the room.
It was a cold, dark and seemed empty with just a bed, wooden table and a wardrobe. There were no paintings, flowers or even books. The disciple here must have shut himself away from the world.
The mystery disciple came to mind but she shunned that thought.
How and why did she end up in his room?
She came across a wooden box, with gold handwritten notes inscribed on it. She tried unlocking it when the door opened. She flinched, hiding her hands behind.
It was the mystery disciple, Tamire.
A feeling of satisfaction, happiness settled within her. She looked for an opportunity to reveal his identity but it showed up right in front of her. Her smile was barely unnoticed.
But she couldn't see his face. It was hidden beneath his cloak that casted a shadow over his features.
"Do you just touch anything you see?".
His voice was harsh. She tightened her hands behind. His hidden identity made her tensed. It sent a chill down her spine.
"Are you just going to stand there staring at me?".
Tyra scoffed. His words immediately cleared up the tension in the room. There was no reason for him to be harsh. He brought her to his room in the first place.
"What's there for me to stare at?".
She muttered, loud enough to be heard. His face could not be seen anyways.
She could feel his cold gaze on her, she held it.
"What am I doing here?".
He hesitated. "You were injured, you needed containment ".
She scoffed. Tyra made up her mind to return the same cold energy she received. It was somewhat petty but it eased her annoyance.
"Containment? Is that what you call it now? Dragging unconscious women into your room like some cloaked saviour? ".
He stepped forward, jaw tightened. "You would have burned through your own walls. I saved your life".
"And you couldn't drop me anywhere else that doesn't reel of control?".
He crossed his arms, "You are alive because of me . You are welcome, by the way".
She walked pass him still raising her voice. "No, see, I survived despite you. I'm destined to live a long, healthy life".
He slammed the door shut before she could reach for the handle.
"You are in my space, watch your mouth".
She turned raising her chin her. "Then don't drag me into it".
There was a stretched silence between them. Neither of them moved, nor blinked.
Then she pushed the door open, and left.
Tamire stood in shock after she slammed the door. He had never met anyone so annoying and ungrateful as Tyra. He cursed under his breath, he should have left her in the Healathren.
...
The Master had called for Tyra in his chambers while she was in the dining hall.
She bowed on entering the room. The air was filled with the scent of burning incense and dry wood. A sacred space with a shrine at a far corner. He sat on a mat with his legs crossed, hands clasped together and eyes closed in meditation.
He stood up after a while, folding the mat.
"Most disciples are gifted with special abilities, and you are one of them. Some of them end up using their powers for good. while the others , get consumed by greed and use it for evil".
He went further to his shelves, searching for something. She strained her eyes from her spot but couldn't see it.
"We have trained few disciples that can help the gifted wield their powers in the best possible way. Tamire would be your guide".
The name replayed in her head. She widened her eyes in disbelief, maybe she heard wrong.
"Master, you mean the disciple with a hidden identity?". She avoided his gaze when their eyes met, lowering her head.
The last time she spoke with Tamire, few months ago, it didn't end well. It ended on a bad note. The thought of him being her guide made her annoyed. She didn't want to be in the same space with him.
"Do you have anything to say?".
She stole a quick glance at the Master. He looked at her unblinking, his face bore no emotions. He had already made up his mind.
"You may leave".
...
She walked through the hallway hesitating to meet Tamire. It was courtesy to meet with your guide before training begins. She began to think of what to say when she sees him. If she should apologize or keep her head held up high.
Tyra shivered when a gush of wind blew across the hallway. It was cold and carried a presence. She then noticed that the pathway was empty. It was lit with dim candlelights at every pillar.
She felt the same presence pass behind her, like a flash of light, too quick to behold. But she turned and saw no one.
"Who's there".
She asked with a shaky voice. The experience she had in the Healathren months ago, came flooding in her mind.
Was she about to go through the same thing again?
She hastened her steps to quickly get out of the Master's quaters. But it seemed endless, like she had been walking in circles.
The air became dense, a strong wind blew across the pathway banging the windows at its ends. Tyra was panicking, her heart was pounding. The air filled her nostrils almost suffocating her, it was difficult to breathe. She let out shaky breaths, terrified of what was to come.
She struggled to walk, staggering as her vision became blurry. This time she didn't feel like she was burning within, she felt suffocated. A feeling to let out a what was brewing in her soul.
She felt the same presence again but this time it whispered in her ears.
"Come to me". It whispered like the voices of a thousand wandering spirits, sending shivers down her spine. She covered her ears, finding the strength to run.
Till she bumped into Tamire.
She held him tightly, with quickened breaths "They are coming".
She kept looking back, searching for the spirits whispering but there was none. Her eyes were full of fear as tears rolled down her cheeks.
He looked behind her but saw nothing. He couldn't care less about Tyra, but her gaze said something else. Like she was terrfied.
"They?".
She felt their presence coming closer. Every step they took made her feel more suffocated. She wanted to scream out loud but remembered what happened when she did.
She struggled out of Tamire's arms but his grip was too strong. Well, she couldn't hold it in again.
She let out a loud shriek as her eyes turned white. A gush of water shattered the glass windows, flooding the passage way.
It's force had swept them crashing into a pillar. Tyra lay unconscious on Tamire while he groaned in pain.
His cloak had fallen. And for the first time, the shadows didn't shield him. His face lay bare, in the moonlit wreckage.