Faye felt restless that night. From inside the warmth of her room, even among the lifeless eyes that fell over her, she felt restless. The moon hanging high up in the hands of the night sky looked even more daunting than usual. She felt a chill. It felt as if somewhere something was happening, something beyond the hands of a little, insignificant water mage like Faye. Thoughts like this seemed to just find her unexpectedly these days, between her missions, between a walk down the street, between her precious time with her puppets; they just kept coming every now and then. Just when she thought she could explain it, it sneaks away and then comes back later just as she thinks everything will be alright. It played sick, cruel games with her mind. It lifted her from something shapeless and then dropped her back into something burning cold and searing hot at the same time. This sort of mood swings honestly scared her.

That particular night, things just were not looking up. Faye felt her head ache as she closed the curtains of her room. Without much thought, she took a cardigan and took off into the awaiting shadows of the streets outside. It was as if the pale moonlight was beckoning her over to somewhere because she had thoughtlessly followed only the paths that were lit up. There was so much misplaced energy inside her that was waiting to just burst forth without any particular place to go. It just paced back and forth inside her burning heart. There was no past or future she could find solace in.

With a mind of its own, her legs took her to the nearest garden in Era, a rather well built place Faye would have appreciated if she did not have so many other thoughts churning and making waves within her. But surprisingly enough, she found that Faye was not the only one out without rest in the middle of the night. That bit of silver tresses, she will recognize them anywhere at this point. Somehow, her heart cooled down a little. Right, she did not have to be alone. She was not cursed, she had friends. She would never be like her father.

Faye took a deep breath, forcing a smile on her face as she approached the solitary woman. “Snowflake,” She softly called out, making her presence known. She did not know what to say or ask after that. Somehow, there was this understanding between Snowflake and herself that they were both lost in thoughts and feelings beyond their capability of explanation. Faye, especially, was on edge that night. She wanted to ask Snowflake what the purpose for her life was, what she had to do to escape this seemingly never ending numbness. But, she guessed even Snow would not be able to help her with her inner turmoil. In the end, she simply found a place next to the woman. “I guess you can’t sleep either…” She sighed with a mirthless smile.

504/1400 - Spiral

Beautiful? Faye subconsciously tilted her head up to look at the dark ocean of stars. ‘Is it?’ She thought, a dull look slowly clouding her eyes. For reasons even unknown to herself, Faye had gotten depressed. Her mood these days were unpredictable but she just couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Not even when in that night, even as she looked up at the beautiful sky, all she could see was the ominous looking full moon. The round, hanging, clouded moon; its halos seeping into the thin cracks of the night sky; and the light that seemed to cast on her. Faye closed her eyes as if she was hiding from something but quickly composed herself and smiled at Snow.

“Yes, it is beautiful,” empty words. Her lips curved up without meaning. She just did not want to show the monsters in her heart. Neither the uncertainty nor the shame and hatred towards herself. She had believed her life was happy. She had believed it was content. In a world of her own with her puppets, the creations she breathed life into, she thought nothing would ever enter unlike that dark room from her childhood. She thought she was safe. But then her most beloved one, the one link with her father, had suddenly disappeared without a trace. The world she clearly kept a distance from suddenly opened up and she was thrust into it. She had to speak, she had to do it on her own, she couldn’t just hide anymore. Nevertheless, she faced it as if nothing was wrong. In fact, certainly on sometimes, Faye had felt truly happy. When she met Zane and reunited with Snowflake, she felt happy.

When Snowflake suggested training, she thought she might as well do it. If not for its actual purpose, then to at least take her mind off of things. Perhaps the heat of training will finally clear up her head, or perhaps pull her out of her long winding thoughts. Whatever it was, she was ready to be on board with it. Thinking so, she got off her seat and walked a couple of steps forward, drawing in a long breath and feeling the air fill her lungs. “Alright, let’s do it. I have a couple of moves I want to test out as well. I’m not nearly as powerful as you, however,” She told Snowflake truthfully. Faye had no reason to hide her weakness. She really was not at all as strong as a mage with her experience should be. Indulging in her hobbies, she had willfully left her training and strengthening behind. She could not even remember the last time she let her magic flow out, felt its electrifying grip over her hands and fingers.

963/1400 - Spiral

Faye wanted to feel free, to let go of the many invisible chains that had bound her in the past. She just had to get all the mana flowing inside her again like a tidal wave crashing into the awaiting shore. Under the tranquil moon, Snowflake and Faye stood facing each other. Looking at the woman in front of her, Faye couldn’t say that she did not feel jealous, but then again, Faye also knew she had no one but herself to blame. Snow was as bright as a star, a pure unadulterated star while Faye hid so much darkness inside her, so much that she lost herself in it at times. She was like a puppet with her strings still attached to her dead father. ‘I want to let go…’

As Snow coated her figure with ice, Faye looked on in awe. It began at the tips of her fingers and started spreading all over until it shined brilliantly on Snow’s skin, illuminated by the pale moonlight that ghosted over her. The lights and shadows over them swished and swayed as wind blew cold whispers over. The sight was picturesque, it was beautiful. Just seeing Snow like that made Faye smile. “Yes, but it looks beautiful,” Faye answered gesturing to the retreating ice.

Now Snow was not done yet. The next move was just as incredible as the last one. This time the magic circle that appeared in front of Snow’s palms produced chains of ice that quickly made its way over to Faye. As it extended its clutches onto her, Faye felt her eyes widen as something inside her snapped and sprang forth. The chains that reflected the lights were turning into the thin strings she tied her puppets down with. No, she thought. She did not want to be bound.

As the burn of her mana surged within Faye, she felt her eyes close for a split second as a magic circle appeared right in front of her and out from it came a water cyclone, spinning and spinning over the shining circle of archaic words. It stopped the chains that came her way, spun for a while longer and fell away in a rain of wet coldness that fell over the two mages. “Ah, I couldn’t control that either,” Faye said as she came out of her daze. They were both almost completely drenched now. “Shit, we should get going before we catch a cold. Let’s go, my inn is somewhere close,” Faye quickly ran fingers through her hair and gestured for Snowflake to follow her. Admittedly enough, Faye knew she had lost control of her magic for a second there. But perhaps that burst of energy was what she needed to clear her head.

1422 - Spiral Trained
Training Complete
-Exit-