for a while I sat there thinking deeply over her words, do I even know myself, an amalgamation of two opposing, yet complementing personalities, well putting it simply am I not just, me?
Is that not enough, so then on that premise what is power to me, arcane arts, technology, or something else. After thinking over my own situation, I came to it, "power is the ability to achieve your goal, no matter the supposed impossibility."
I thought some more "it's a means to an end." the elder frowned saying with purpose "remember that don't become blind, think clearly, see clearly, be objective."
after that she denied my entry there, withdrawing the slip of paper she grinned exposing, a gummy smile "aim higher, boy."
I sighed and left silently with a maelstrom of thoughts clouding my head, thoughts not befitting a twelve-year-old.
Walking through the shipyard I noticed one glaring truth, it was closing in on twilight, the sun was low and lighting the clouds in a vibrant glowing orange. The chaotic crowds were funneling into the entrance to the shipyard, where the test was held, following them I found them forming into groups, the groups were based on their personal relationships built during their little mingling, outside the tests, luckily for me I wouldn't be alone, not all the gathered youths were highly sociable.
Looking around I struggled to find Toby, he and I were quite young and thus short, making it harder to find him, but eventually, I did.
When I found him, he was talking enthusiastically to an older girl, she looked roughly fourteen, she talked to Toby with the chastising tone of a mother, "Tobias James Archer, do you know what you've done, do you not know the alignments of our Archer family, we believe in justice and riotousness, and you a branch leaders' son have the gall, to not only renounce you family but also join a dark faction, do you not know, what." she paused her lip quivering lightly, eyes watering "what mother would do to you, I know you've grown up with fanciful dreams of surpassing your beloved late father, but that's all that is, fantasy, so why would you turn on the family he loved."
then Toby who was taking the scolding head on, noticed me.
Toby flustered, looked between me and the girl, his ears growing cherry red he stuttered "Evangeline please, stop." the girl apparently named Evangeline scowled "what now you want me to allow you to join hell's firry army, do you want to jump into the abyss, or become a corrupted user of that malfeasant artifact, your father keeps locked behind bars."
Toby grew redder smiling sheepishly at me. Evangeline followed his staying gauze seeing firstly me, then the other applicants, all staring at them, she then realised, she had messed up.
Apparently trying to rectify the situation she pointed a slender finger at me "you, you know Tobas here, right." she didn't wait for my answer "good, now take him off, convince him not to join the cabalistic order of the frayed... or is it caliginous. Well, no matter tell this fool the err of his ways, ok. Thank you." she turned to the crowd "mind your business this is the work of an arcane family; don't poke your nose into a bee's hive."
Whilst Evangeline cascaded the crowd, me and toby disappeared into it, stopping when there was nobody paying attention to us, he asked ashamed "how much did you hear." I decided to be truthfully honest "since. Tobias James Archer, do you know what, you" he cut me off growling "forget all of it, as you heard my fathers is a big shot, he has magic artifacts, I bet he has one that'll scramble your brain." he spouted nonsensical jibberish.
I sighed, staring him down "don't change the subject. Toby, I know what I heard and that is, you're interested in joining the 'caliginous order of the frayed' right well let me tell you, so am I." toby stared at me deadpan before exclaiming "really, well that's marvellous." he paused looking around in a manner befitting of a targeted man "you know, they have a hidden order, working behind them, right. They're not a front, however, more like a branch, they share the same, ideas and goals, only more openly.
Like a diluted version, but more so than that they share the same boundless resources." he openly admitted the following part "I found out about this through my father's hidden notes, apparently, he was a probationary member, and believed in their ideology, and when I investigated them further, I found it true, their methods are only cruel on behalf of secrecy, other than that they're quite malleable with their rules.
Not only that but like any other faction they have conflicts, just because they practice dark magics, they have been labeled evil."
He spoke with the enthusiasm of an excited child, which he in fact was, "Toby I have two options right now, the 'ivory aquatic tower' or the 'caliginous order of the frayed' which do you think suits me better, outside of your blatant love for the order." he warmly spoke, arm wrapped around my shoulder "honestly, I may have only just met you, but I have a general feel for your personality, and I want the best for you, so I'll say this now, the tower fits your talent and can easily nurture you to be strong. But for the order, it can take you further, but you'll need an indomitable resolution. I say join the order." his words were laced with conviction.
Thinking about it I replied, "won't that waste my talent with the water element." he laughed "the focus of the order may be darkness, but your talent in that is only a hairs worse than for water, the difference is negatable, you can work your way around it, anyway I heard theirs a dark ritual that can covert another elemental alignment into darkness, you have the demonic bloodline right, if you can purify your demonic blood, and use it as a catalyst, the ritual will be guaranteed to succeed. well depending on your sacrifice. But that will only be relevant when you're stronger, so if you decide to bravely adventure and join the order, I will hand over the ritual's method."
His argument was convincing, I know my own personality, and I agree with his comment. A dark faction suits me better, secrecy also entices me, and working in the shadows is a dream of mine. A dream, forged from my time with the professor.