Morana

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"Alright, teacher! What are we going to do today?" I asked as soon as we had entered the apartment that evening.

My comment earned me a laugh from Alejo, which had my stomach feeling jittery. Quickly, I did my best to push those feelings away. Friendship. That was what we had, and I needed to convince my feelings that was all I felt.

"You should probably do one more round of meditation, but I think you'll be ready to actually start using your magic after that. Like I said, you are a natural talent," he smiled at me.

I smiled back, but inside I started feeling apprehension. As much as I wanted to learn more so I could find out what those voices were, the idea of seeing the black thread again terrified me slightly. But I knew that if I wanted to learn magic, that was something I would have to deal with. I couldn't run away and hide from it, but needed to face it head on. And after all, I had never met an obstacle in my life I hadn't managed to handle. So whatever it all was and meant, I would be able to handle it.

Or at least I tried to convince myself of that.

It went very fast to meditate my way to my core again, and I also had no problem seeing my magic and, unfortunately, the black thread also appeared with ease. It would have been so nice if it had turned out to not be there anymore. But it was there, I had to accept that.

It was still as black and still as filled with death.

Instinctively, I wanted to pull out again. But I forced myself to remain. With my mind, I approached the thread, hoped I would manage to sense something more. Something which would help me find answers.

But all I could feel was that ominous feeling of death. Though, as it had settled a bit, I realized I definitely wasn't afraid of it. My fear mainly came from not understanding, but it wasn't fear of the thread. If anything, the thread felt familiar. Almost like a long-lost family member.

Of course, that in itself increased my fears and worries. What was up with me to not be afraid of something so dark?

I steadied myself, counted to ten, and then tried to get closer, needing to know more about it. Though I didn't have a physical body but was simply awareness inside of myself, I got close enough so I touched the thread.

Darkness shot out of it. Spreading all around. Engulfing me and everything.

It almost made me pull out, but I managed to stay calm, counted to ten again, and then focused on it once more. As I stayed and observed, I realized the darkness wasn't darkness, but shadows.

I tried to reach out, tried to touch them with my mind. But they seemed to disperse away from me, though still remaining close. Not leaving my side.

Then came the voices.

"Free us," they repeated over and over, and I knew I wouldn't be able to find out anything more. It was like in my dreams. The voices which belonged to the shadows just repeated that sentence over and over.

I tried asking them questions, asked who they were, just to try. But either they didn't hear me or they didn't care, because they kept repeating themselves.

So slowly I moved out and opened my eyes.

Alejo immediately stuffed a cup of tea into my hands.

"How are you feeling?" he asked as I obediently took a sip.

I considered it for a moment. The voices and the black thread were unsettling, but other than that, "I feel great."

"You look much better than the last two times as well," Alejo smiled at me. "And it seemed like you got in quickly but then spent a long time in there. So I guess you got a good feel of your magic?"

I felt a tinge of guilt. I hadn't really spent any time acquainting myself with the light thread, which I assumed was my witchcraft. I had been too focused on the black thread. But the witchcraft felt easy enough to understand. Very straight forward. It was bright and light. That was all.

"Yeah, I did," I answered.

He nodded. "I think I can start teaching you how to use it next time."

That made me excited in a way I couldn't remember ever having been.

"Could we start now?" I immediately asked, and Alejo chuckled.

"Not now. We don't want to drain you."

"Tomorrow then."

"Sure," he said, and the smile he gave me was so sweet and seemed to be so full of indulgence that I had to look down to get my emotions under control again.

"What will you teach me first? Teleporting?" I asked, to try to regain control of my emotions.

"Na, that's much too complicated for a first thing. First, it'll just be about learning to bring out your magic and sensing magic. Then probably moving objects as a first more proper spell."

I nodded. I really didn't care much about what we started with, as long as we got started on more actual magic. The meditation had proven to be much more interesting than I had first thought. But I felt ready, more than ready, for some magic and to be able to start actually doing things.

To be on the safe side, Alejo forced me to drink far too much tea again. Though it tasted alright, I was quickly growing sick and tired of it. The sweetness of the taste getting too sweet, just like the scent. But Alejo was stubborn about it, so I could do nothing but obey.

That night I dreamed of the shadows again. I had expected it and would have been more surprised if I hadn't.

"Remember us," they told me, but that just seemed weird to me. I was certain that if I had ever come across them before, I would have remembered. Their presence wasn't one which was easily forgotten.