I woke up the next morning feeling good and alive, I washed up and went to training.
You look good ionia.
Thank you celeste.
And pray tell what's the secret?
You sound as if I haven't always looked good.
Don't get me wrong ionia you are beautiful the most beautiful in the kingdom actually, however you downplay your look a lot. Today though you look refreshed, you still have that do not approach me aura around you but at the same time it's as if you've come alive.
Well maybe it's because I've been getting enough sleep.
Well whatever it is, it looks good on you.
Wait that's so beautiful I haven't seen it before, celeste said while reaching for my hand and stroking my bracelet.
I know right I had the exact same expression when I saw it for the first time.
This stone, is this not a rainbow moonstone she gasped. Ionia this is extremely rare and precious how did you get it?
Now what am I going to say I can't possibly tell her it was given to me by the infamous demon of ataraxia now can I.
It was my mom's she gave it to me when she was still alive.
Woah your mom truly was something else.
Okay everyone enough of the chit chat lets get to work ladies said Frances as we all started training.
In the name of the gods who made Frances mad I haven't seen her go that hard on us for quite some time now said celeste panting heavily while lying on the floor.
You don't say, I can't feel any of my body parts I told her.
Luckily we have nothing else to do today why don't we go take our bath and change out of our training outfit she suggested.
Sounds like a plan.
Ionia I am hanging out with some of the girls later at one of the tavern do you want to join us?
I would rather slit my own throat
Woah! take it easy.
Have fun celeste.
What are you going to be doing then? you really need to start mingling with others you can't continue being by yourself.
I love my own company and I don't need to be around people who don't even want me to be around them.
Come lets go I told her.
After taking my bath and changing my outfit to something simple and casual I called Lucien's name.
So you are really doing this I heard a voice say behind me.
I turned to find him looking at me with those beautiful eyes of his.
I told you that there is nothing for me to think about didn't I?
Reaching out to hold my hand the next thing I knew we were in the forest.
This place is breathtaking, ataraxia really is beautiful. How do you even know about all this places?
Let's start from the beginning said Lucien.
You really hate answering my questions don't you I said.
He didn't say anything and just stood there looking at me.
Okay okay you may continue oh great master.
What do you know about magic?
Well I know that in ataraxia we believe that magic comes from within. And we have three forms of it. Edrasos comes from the earth. Thelsia comes from the force of life and Alevia from the gods. However there are some who don't have at all like me.
It is true that magic comes from within began Lucien. However there is magic all around us he said raising his right hand and waving it in the air as if drawing a spiral. Immediately I saw a golden glow on the tip of his fingers twirling and getting bigger as he continued his demonstration.
Amazing I whispered.
There is magic everywhere, in everything and everyone. And unless you are not a magical being or from a magical bloodline there is no such thing as you not having magic. It can only be latent he said dropping his hand.
So what you are trying to tell me is that I have magic but it is not working?
Come here he said.
I walked to him and stood in front of him.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, relax your mind and body he said placing his forefinger on my forehead. I felt a sharp pain and cried out, immediately stepping away from him.
What did you do to me? I said still trying to recover from the pain. I could feel sweat dropping from my face.
Your magic has been blocked came his reply.
What do you mean blocked? Is it dormant do I need to train hard to unblock it?
What I mean ionia he said coming to stand in front of me, is that someone blocked your energy flow and by so doing made it impossible for you to use magic.
What!?
But that is impossible I mean who would do that to me? Who is that strong enough is it even possible I said confused and felling helpless.
It is possible and believe it or not though not common it is not something that difficult depending on your level of magic.
We both stayed silent for a while, I don't know if he was allowing me to process the life changing news or just being his normal demonic self. At this point I don't even know what to say or feel.
Can you take me back to my room please?
Without a word he held my hand and brought me to my room and without saying anything he left me standing there alone. For someone who don't have friends and who has been staying alone he sure knows how to read the situation. Because all I want is to be left alone to think.
I don't know how long I stood there but after getting a hold of my emotions I went in search of my father. Surely he knows something.
The fallenvale house is located outside the palace and it's more like a mini castle with rooms and gardens and even a lake. Looking inside while standing outside all I could think of, was that this place used to be my home as beautiful as it is, I never felt at home here. Just like the houses of council elders and elites in the society, fallenvale has its own helpers and security. Currently one of the guards has gone inside to inform my family that I am looking for my dad.
You may go In miss said the guard after returning. Alice here will take you he said gesturing to the maid he came out with. I realized that I couldn't find any familiar face everyone seems to be new. I followed Alice to the living room and was not that surprised to see my entire family. My dad, his wife, Adryll, Leticia and Devon.
What are you doing here questioned my dad not looking pleased at all.
I came to see you.
And why is that? I thought I told you this family no longer has any ties with you.
I need to talk to you alone I emphasized.
Whatever you have to say you have to say in front of us said Irene my fathers wife
You heard your mom say whatever it is and get out.
This witch is no mother of mine.
What did you say? how dare you call our mother a witch chorused my siblings. At least we have a mother unlike yours that is dead and forgotten. Said Leticia.
I turned to her and said, be grateful that I came here for something else if not that mouth of yours would have been redesigned by me.
Ionia thundered my father what do you want?
Do you know my energy was blocked? I said going straight to the point.
Everywhere was calm, too calm. It was as if they all knew but weren't expecting me to find out.
And how do you know that?
Does it matter how? just answer me wait don't because clearly by your reaction it means you know, not just you but everybody.
Now my second question, who did it and why?
Listen ionia your life is no business of mine.
Answer me I said in a cold and deadly voice that I couldn't even believe came from me.
Your mother did it.
You are lying I said.
Why would I lie. It was your mother's doing. Surely you know how powerful she was.
Why wh........y would she do that to me I said in disbelief.
How would I know what was going on in her head. Two years after you were born she blocked it, I asked her why and she told me that there is no need of you using your abilities.
How do I unblock it?
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ionia you think I haven't tried? What's the point of having a useless daughter? I tried unblocking it but your mom not only blocked your energy force but also cast a spell on you. I took you to some of the most powerful people in ataraxia but no one could undo the spell. You can't unblock it without the spell your mom was really talented she made it impossible for anyone to unblock it.
And where you trying to unblock it out of love for me or what?
And why would he do it out of love asked Irene? We both thought since your mother was quite skilled maybe you would inherit her talents and be of use to us. Instead what we got was a pretty face with zero abilities.
Looking at my fathers countenance I knew Irene was telling the truth.
Listen ionia it was by sheer luck you managed to pick that flower. You are of no help to anybody. Why don't you allow me to look for someone for you to get married to. At least by so doing you will honor our family instead of living this life of mediocrity. Said my father.
Listen to your father girl with that pretty face of yours and zero ability or talent and without the family backing you the best you can do is probably end up as a mistress to someone.
Listen to our parents ionia began Leticia all you have going is just a pretty face.
And as a man myself began Adryll beauty captivates us but without a proper background a gentle and caring nature, all that beauty will get you at most is warming our beds. And giving your stubborn nature and that foul mouth of yours no decent and responsible man will take you as his wife.
I watched as my family took me apart piece by piece.
So you all have decided that my only redeeming quality is my beauty? And now what? you think you saying all these things to me will make me feel what exactly? I should what apologize for being beautiful? For being born beautiful?
Dad I can't believe you can be this despicable I am your own flesh and blood. What did I ever do to you for you to hate me so.
Enough ionia don't blame my husband for your miserable life. If there is anyone to blame it is your crazy dead mother. She made you miserable not my husband, not me, and definitely not my children. If that is all, you can leave. This is no longer your home. If you reconsider our offer of getting married you can come back but until then you are not welcomed here.
I started walking out wanting so badly to get away from these people. I won't ever give them the satisfaction of watching me breakdown.
Ionia said my dad and I stopped but I did not turn.
Your mother is too kind asking you to come back if you've changed your mind. I on the other hand I'm not that kind. If you leave this house today you cease to be a member of this family.
My dear began Irene.
No dearest this girls madness has gone on long enough she dared to call you a witch right in front of me. Despite her being useless we all tried to help her but all she has done is rebel and disobey. This kind of person shouldn't bear our name.
But she is a fallenvale you can't take that away from her continued Irene in that pretentious voice of hers.
I will tell the king myself I will discuss it with the rest of the family if everyone agrees the king has no choice but to agree. She won't bear the name fallenvale again the only thing is that despite her not bearing the name she still can't be a servant or sold.
Dad that is more than enough she is a social outcast anyway no one wants her even if she can't be sold or used as a help she will still be useless. Taking away the name, we do us all good. It means we won't be associated with her again said Adryll.
Not wanting to hear more I walked out.
I got to a lonely bush path and called Lucien.
He came and took me to his house.
We sat in his very fancy living room without saying anything.
After sometime I perceived a mouth watering aroma. Looking around I couldn't find Lucien suddenly I saw him coming with a tray filled with food.
Why don't you eat something he said to me while placing the food in front of me.
We both sat down on the floor and ate in comfortable silence.
Thank you for the food it was delicious. Did you make it?
How are you came his reply. I was not even surprised when he did not answer my question.
I dont' know Lucien everything is still confusing to me. I went to see my dad, to ask him if he knows anything about my situation. He told me it was my mom who blocked my energy when I was two, saying i wont have any use of it. He said my mom also cast a spell on me making it difficult for anyone to unblock it.
Is that all?
Well from now on I have no family name I am simply ionia.
Self pity has never been my thing but lately I find my life exhausting even for me.
Is there a way you can train me to be strong physically since obviously magic is out of the picture.
Says who?
What do you mean says who? you are the one who told me my energy flow is blocked and my dad said there is nothing anyone can do to unblock it.
I said it is blocked I never said I could not unblock it.
Wait what!?
You can unblock it?
Yes.
But my dad said he tried and even took me to different people.
You have no idea what I'm capable of ionia. For me this means nothing.
I can't believe this, wait what are you waiting for? do it then.
He left me in the room for a while and came back with a cup.
Take, drink this he told me.
What's this I asked taking it from him.
Drink he repeated.
I looked at the bluish liquid in the cup and brought it to my nose but couldn't perceive anything. Here goes nothing I told myself as I emptied the cup.
It is tasteless I told him. Without saying anything he held me and brought me to my room.
What are we doing here I asked.
Remove your shoes and lie on your bed came his reply.
After lying on the bed I looked out the window to discover it was nighttime already. What a day i've had.
Lucien brought my chair close to my bed and sat down. He placed his palm on my head muttered something to himself, maybe a spell maybe an incantation I couldn't say for sure. He closed his eyes as if channeling his energy. With his eyes close I could truly appreciate how long his lashes were. How can a man have such long lashes I would have been jealous if mine wasn't as long as his. What's the story behind his mask I wondered. Suddenly I started feeling hot all over and could barely keep my eyes open. It was as if every bone in my body went weak.
When you wake it will be morning and I will not be here but your energy flow would have been restored. You will feel different but don't worry it is not in a bad way. Once you are free you know what to do said Lucien.
That's the last thing I heard before everything went dark.