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princessFlashback, Sola 27th
Ariella Edwards
Ariella Edwards
Darkness. Unease. Whispers.
Ariella paced barefoot through the woods, the cool earth clinging to her feet and leaving a faint trail of disturbed dirt behind her. Her usual carefree glow, the lighthearted energy that often radiated from her, had faded into something distant and strained. Worry etched itself deeply into her features, her furrowed brow and the way she bit her lip betraying the weight of her thoughts.
The early part of the afternoon had been a pleasant distraction. She had spent it with Lorenzo, learning the subtleties of gardening and the intricate language of plants. His knowledge was vast, and his patient explanations had given her a new appreciation for the natural world. Together, they had shared techniques, ideas, and quiet moments of camaraderie, and Ariella found herself savoring his company as much as the knowledge he imparted.
For a few days, the simplicity of working the soil and tending to plants had offered her a welcome reprieve from the heaviness she carried. But as the sun began its descent and the forest around her darkened with the golden hues of late afternoon, that weight returned with a vengeance. It was an invisible, unrelenting pressure pressing down on her chest a feeling she couldn’t quite name but couldn’t ignore.
Her pacing quickened as her thoughts swirled, tangled and unresolved. Despite the warmth of the memories she had made with Lorenzo, something deeper loomed in her mind, a shadow that refused to be shaken.
Something had changed.
The day Callum spoke about, finding the shadowed figure and something else. She could feel it. Her toes dug deeper into the dirt as she crouched down, holding onto her legs as her arms wrapped around them holding onto herself tightly. Her eyes shut as she relaxed her body listening closely.
"Arielllllla..."
"Ariella..."
The voice was faint, but it sliced through the din of her thoughts with an eerie clarity. Her eyes flew open, her pulse quickening as she instinctively braced herself against the ground. One hand caught on the thick dirt, grounding her as she scanned the woods with a frantic gaze. But there was nothing no movement, no figure in the shadows. Only the whispering trees and the soft rustle of leaves carried by the wind.
The sound had felt so real, so close, as if her name had been plucked from her soul and spoken aloud. Yet, she was alone.
Swallowing hard, Ariella shifted, lowering herself onto her knees. Her palms pressed firmly into the earth, as if anchoring herself to something solid might steady the sudden storm of unease inside her. The cool soil grounded her, its rough texture pressing into her skin a reminder of where she was—here, in the woods, surrounded by the hum of nature.
She drew in a slow, deliberate breath, her chest rising and holding the air until it almost burned. Shutting her eyes, she let her other senses sharpen. Her ears strained to pick up even the faintest sound, her body attuned to every vibration around her.
The forest seemed to still in response, its usual symphony of life fading into a quiet that was almost unnatural. All she could do now was listen—listen for the voice that had spoken her name, listen for the wind to carry its secrets once more.
Ariella…..
Ariellaaaaaaaaa….
The voice continued to call to her, speaking her name in only whispers on the wind. The voice continued to call out to her, its voice dark and melodic. What was calling her? She had felt a shift, she knew something had changed. Her connection to the earth tilting on its balance. Something was coming and it wanted her.
Ari’s eyes opened slowly as she felt the chill in the air tickle her skin with anticipation. She pulled the Starcatcher book in front of her. She looked down at the book with bated breath as her fingers fiddles nervously on her lap. The protection spell on Callum had worked, the effigy she had made was burned and dusted in soot. She found it when she first came to her little hideaway. Thankfully it hadn’t caught fire or many of her books would have gone in flame. She picked it up in her hand as it laid idly beside her, parts of Twiggs falling and crumbling in her hand. What kind of magic had he unleashed that caused the spell to trigger? She looked down at the idle inquisitively before setting it back down.
Opening Star Catcher, she landed on a page she had been attempting to try for what felt like years. Nervous, something holding her back from knowing, Ari stared down at the page with apprehension.
Interpreting Your Magicae
“Be aware that magicae can change as your ambitions and life circumstances evolve. Regular self-reflection and personal growth can influence your magicae over time.” Ari read out loud as her finger trailed across the page of the book.
Ariella’s gaze remained fixed on the book as if the answers might leap from the pages into her mind. She took the tome in her hands, the weathered leather binding cool against her fingertips, and rose to her feet. Crossing the short distance to the creek that bisected her secluded camp, she knelt beside the water, her skirts brushing against the soft earth.
The creek was narrow but deep, its crystalline surface reflecting the flicker of sunlight filtering through the dense canopy above. At around four feet deep, it was just enough to immerse herself while keeping her head comfortably above the surface. She ran her fingers over the text again, mentally checking off the necessary details.
The book had advised bringing a second person to assist in the ritual, but Ariella dismissed the idea with a quiet sigh. Trust was a rare commodity in her life, and while Cal would have been her first choice, he had been unusually preoccupied. He’d spent time with her recently, reminiscing about the chaos of her brother’s party and laughing over her mother’s antics. Yet even those moments of levity had been tinged with the weight of his responsibilities. His mention of a looming meeting with the Queen and warnings about the growing fear of magic had left her unsettled.
The threat of hunts returning made this endeavor all the more risky, but the idea of joining a coven was too alluring to resist. If she were to find a place among them, she needed to be prepared. Ariella glanced at the shimmering water, her reflection rippling back at her, and set her jaw with quiet determination. This was a risk she would have to face alone.
Ariellaaaaa...
There it was again—that inexplicable sensation tugging at the edges of her consciousness, pulling her out of her spiraling thoughts. The air grew heavier, prickling her skin with a chill that ran deeper than the crisp breeze. Something was calling her, faint but insistent, stirring a mix of unease and intrigue.
Ariella inhaled deeply, steadying herself as she took a tentative step into the cold, moving stream. The water swirled around her ankles, biting at her skin like icy tendrils. Her gaze dropped to the uneven creek bed, her steps slow and deliberate to avoid slipping on the moss-slick stones. With each step deeper into the stream, the chill climbed higher, sending shivers coursing through her body.
Finally, she knelt, flinching as the freezing water splashed against her thighs, seeping through the fabric of her clothes and sending another shudder up her spine. Carefully, she placed the book on the grassy edge of the creek, its leather cover glinting faintly in the sunlight. Her knees pressed into the creek’s rocky floor, and she slowly lowered herself, the cold water rising over her chest, stealing her breath for a moment.
Her crimson hair spilled out around her as the current caught it, twisting and twirling in fluid spirals. The fiery strands danced against the stream’s gentle push, a stark contrast to the crystalline water. Fully submerged now, Ariella felt the weight of the water press against her, a strange stillness settling over her as if the creek were holding its breath along with her.
Ariella drew in a deep, steadying breath, her eyes falling shut as she fought to silence the persistent voices echoing in her mind. Their call was relentless, but she focused on pushing them away, forcing her thoughts to still. “Magicis facultatem,” she murmured, the phrase rolling softly off her tongue. She repeated it, her voice a whisper carried away by the current as she grew more comfortable with the incantation.
With each repetition, her body began to relax, tension melting away as she sank into a tranquil state. The icy chill of the water dissipated, replaced by an unexpected warmth that radiated outward from her core. Slowly, she opened her eyes, startled but entranced by the sight that greeted her. A vibrant yellow light shimmered in the water, glowing softly as it swirled and pooled around her submerged form, moving with an almost sentient grace.
“Magicis facultatem,” she repeated, her voice steadier now. The golden light began to pulse, rhythmic and hypnotic, perfectly synchronized with the steady thrum of her heartbeat. Ariella watched in wonder as the color grew brighter, its energy palpable, filling the stream with a vibrant glow.
But as the golden light danced, a creeping darkness began to stir at the edges. Black tendrils of ink slithered into the yellow glow, curling and twisting like serpents. They encircled the light, creating a sharp contrast that was both mesmerizing and ominous. The blackness seemed to devour the edges of the yellow hue, inching closer with each heartbeat.
Ari’s brow furrowed, a flicker of unease breaking through her focus as she felt the energy shift. Her aura darkened, transforming into a shadowy blend of the two opposing forces. The pulsing energy around her shifted, releasing a strange, almost sentient glow a shadowed aura of yellow and black, pulsing in unison like a living heartbeat. The water itself seemed to hold its breath, the once-calm stream now alive with the chaotic interplay of light and shadow.
“…Dark magic,” she whispered, the words escaping her lips like a secret she wasn’t sure she should remember. The phrase felt foreign yet familiar as if echoing from a place buried deep within her memory—a place she hadn’t dared to explore.
Her heart quickened as the words lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. She couldn’t recall ever casting dark magic. Could she? The thought stirred unease, her mind racing to piece together fragments of something distant and elusive. Shadows of memory tugged at the edges of her consciousness, tantalizingly close yet maddeningly out of reach.
She stared into the water, her reflection distorted by the rippling current. The face staring back at her felt like a stranger’s, familiar yet shadowed by something unseen.
She needed answers.
