Tangled

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Unshift 234

234 Ava: Magister Orion Explains Things

234 Ava: Magister Orion Explains

Things

I want to protest, to insist that I'm fine, but the truth is, I'm grateful for the suggestion. My legs feel like jelly, and the idea of sitting down is appealing.

Very appealing.

I want to sit down.

Right now.

Magister Orion agrees, leading us to the familiar sitting area nearby. As I sink into a plush armchair, relief washes over me. I hadn't realized just how much effort it was taking to remain upright.

"Now," Magister Orion says, settling into his own chair, "let's discuss what happened during your practice session. I'd like to hear about your experience accessing your magic for the first time." My thoughts are jumbled now that the moment's

arrived. How do I even describe the rush of power, the

vivid memories, the feeling of connection to something greater than myself?

234 Ava: Magister Orion Explains Things

"It was intense," I begin, searching for the right words. "Like I was drowning in dreams, or maybe memories. They were awful ones, where I died in a fire. It was horrible and painful. I felt a surge of energy and then, before I knew it, the rune paper was on fire."

Magister Orion leans forward, his eyes sparkling with interest. "For the wizards of the past, past life

memories were not uncommon when first accessing one's magical core. It's as if the magic itself carries the echoes of its previous incarnations. While it isn't

it comes with a great level of

I admit, "It felt so real. Like I was

you were," he explains. "Magic is timeless, Ava. It exists beyond our mortal understanding of past, present, and future. On a different plane,

words are both

does this mean? Is it going to happen all the time?

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Ava: Magister Orion

going to remember

shakes a hand between us with a laugh. "Nothing like that. It's a glimpse, a window, but nothing more

things change before things come to pass. Or, you see an alternate history that was never written in your

murmur, thinking back.

"Ah, Sister Miriam."

steepling as he considers his

up, and I can even feel Selene focusing more on what she can

his voice taking on the cadence of a lecturer. "It's tied to their very nature-blood

Sister Miriam is different."

hanging on every word. The fatigue

09:31 C

3/7

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Magister Orion

seems to fade as curiosity takes

distant as if recalling some ancient lore. "Though the truth of her parentage remains a mystery to most. There isn't much known about the dhampir and what powers they inherit from their non-vampire parent, but Sister Miriam's clairvoyant abilities must come from a Fae bloodline. There has never been a human

come true, if she sees

that's been bothering me for a long time. The prophecy she gave, the one

heard.

foreseen. Sometimes, you make choices that change such a future. And other times, knowing pushes you to make choices to avoid that future-yet brings it to fruition instead, in a prophetic paradox.

make decisions without them."

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