Page 11 of Shattered Darkness

“I’m guessing you guys don’t want to spar and do some exercises with your magic tonight?” Jax asks.

“Oh no, I need to do it even more. We’ve got a threat surrounding us. My magic senses it and needs out. I’m actually worried about it doing something I didn’t ask it to,” I reply as honestly as I can. I’m not going to bring up the Darkness because it’s such an unknown, and it scares me.

It’s getting stronger by the day and I’m hoping that practicing control over my other magic will help me to control this Darkness, and I’ll be able to keep it in check. There is a part of me that wonders what would happen if I just let it free; at least then I’d know what it was. The thing is that it’s vast, incredibly vast, and what happens if I set it free and then I can’t control it? I instinctively know that it would be catastrophic if I couldn’t control it and that’s what scares me and why I won’t set it free.

I can’t risk it.

“That’s okay, Sage,” Jax replies, watching me closely like he can sense that there’s something else going on, “where are we going to practice? Does anyone have any ideas?”

Chapter Four

“What about one of the gyms?” Dash suggests. “Since our amazing Centre is going to shield us, it’s probably the safest place since it’s warded for any spells that go awry.”

“That’s a really good idea,” I reply and then frown as I look at Erin, “Are you going to be able to shield us for an entire session? How’re you going to practice your other gift?”

“I should be okay so long as I get some rest before we go,” she replies, but I can see slight hesitation in her eyes.

Cole frowns, “Are you sure? You went through an awful lot while we were escaping them. They were shooting magic at your shield for a good ten minutes before the Goddess got us out.”

“Yeah, I really think I’ll be okay after a good rest and some food, I’m fucking starving, what’s the time anyway?” she replies.

“It’s dinner time actually,” Levi says, and then looks at the guys, “why don’t a few of us go and get some food and bring it back here and then we can go over the plan for practicing at one of the gyms while we eat?”

Several of the guys offer to go, and the conversation remains light as we wait since there’s no point in us discussing anything because we’ll only have to repeat it when the others get back. Thankfully, they don’t take that long, and we’re soon all sitting spread out around our dorm room and eating. That’s something else that goes in the school’s favor: the food is absolutely delicious. I have a brief panic that Godfrey could be exerting his control through the food, but then I realise that although the other students are standoffish, they are just following the teacher's lead and not being controlled themselves. That is obvious to me because their behavior isn’t as extreme as the teachers.

Either way, I’m eating because we’ve been eating the food here for the past few months and it would be too late now anyway.

“Alright, so what’s the plan?” Ty asks, glancing up from his now empty plate.

“I think even with Erin’s shield, it would be best to go when we know it's going to be quietest, so after midnight, everyone should be in bed, and the halls should be empty,” Hunter suggests.

“Yeah, I agree. How about we say we meet at Erin’s dorm for one? That will give Cole, Erin and Sage a chance to rest after their ordeal,” Harry suggests.

Everyone nods in agreement, and it’s settled. I don’t know how I’m going to get any rest, knowing that I’m finally going to be able to spar and train my magic. I don’t really know how to train my magic; I’m just assuming that practicing with it and seeing what it can do will be enough.

It has to be, because until the teachers are back to normal and actually willing to help me, that’s all I’ve got and all I can do.

“That’s something that I’ve been wondering about,” Jett starts, and when we all just look at him curiously, he continues, “whenever you get pulled into these visions, or whatever they are, by the Goddess . . .”

“Definitely not a vision; she transported us there this time, if something had happened to us there, we would’ve died there,” I interrupt, feeling like it’s important that it’s clarified because it wasn’t the same as my other visions, those I’m an observer.

“Right,” Jett replies, and then continues, “but in those, you’re always pulled out when you need to be, and yet she didn’t pull you out until the last minute this time. Is that just because it was different from your other visions?”

“No, he was fighting me, I’m sorry daughter, I have no idea how he realised that we were there,” Nyx’s voice whispers through my mind, and I’m actually somewhat alarmed to hear the tiredness in her voice.

“No, she said that he was fighting her, so I guess that means that she couldn’t get us out when she planned to; from the way she sounds, I’m guessing that whoever he is put up a fight; she sounds tired,” I reply, chewing on my lip with worry.

“The Goddess sounded tired?” Kai questions, his eyebrows raised.

I nod, “Yeah, so I guess we can assume that whoever this ‘he’ is, he’s super fucking strong and someone that we should definitely be concerned about.”

“I’ll fucking say, I’m suddenly not feeling as confident about us being able to get rid of the Order, not if the freaking Goddess has a problem going up against whoever the hell is actually behind the Order, because we already know that its not a normal Supe,” Erin adds.

“We can work our way up to that. Let's focus on one thing at a time. For now, we need to work out what’s going on with the teachers and if it can be reversed, if the influence is coming from an object or a person. At least we know that normally, the teachers aren’t supporters of the Order; that’s kind of reassuring,” I point out.

“I agree, one thing at a time. Right now, we all need to be getting some rest if we’re going to meet at one,” Levi agrees.

Everyone nods as they pick up their plates to leave outside the door, ready for the housekeeping to come and pick up. I always feel super weird about that, but I double checked in the first few weeks that we were here when we were still under the radar because all of the other Centres were here. They’re treated really well and choose to be here. It’s not like a forced thing or anything like that, so while I still feel weird about it, at least I know that they’re being treated properly.

---