Pride and Flame

Morgan stood in the darkness, it rippled on beyond the horizon if you even call it that. The water beneath her was ice cold, it wettened her socks and made her feel... still.

"Where the world turns and the flesh burns, we stand in stillness absorbing the forever of the world. It is in that stillness that comes true understanding of one's self and the scope of all reality. We are born of nothing, mother to no sons, daughters to no fathers and yet we reach into the Ether; the Black Locke who birthed us all, and the Universe opens to us."

Peering out into the vast blackness, Morgan studied the small quaking sounds in the distance, listening for whispers. She had first visited this place as a young girl, sometimes the thought of the shock of entering the Lake she'd experienced the first time made Morgan uncomfortable, but she had spent days listening to the whispers that rippled among the water.

The lake could sense magic, especially dark magic... and that was just what she needed to find the thing that would complete her education, whatever it was, Morgan felt inclined to carry out Her Mistress' final wish.

First, she looked to the west, but couldn't see anything. Neither north or south showed any results either but when Morgan looked towards the east she immediately spotted the deep ripples from the small vibrations in the pool.

Morgan's face tingled as it emerged into the open air, the slosh of water escaping down the long ivory locks of her hair echoed throughout the room, She rested her head on the tub and nodded, taking deep breaths "East." she whispered, that was the way she needed to go.

When she awoke the next morning, buried in pillows and duvets, she dug through her travel bag dressing in a scarlet plaid dress and black blouse, slipping on her black boots the young witch took several food items from the kitchenette and went on her way to the elevator.

Using Bradley's cash, Morgan began her walk eastwards gazing at her compass as she strode down the busy morning streets; She was thankful that the strange French girl wasn't at reception... that revolving door was enough oddity she wanted to deal with for one day.

Wallace was indeed a strange place, cars buzzing past like giant metal bees, people rushing around in all manner of clothing, buildings taller than any tree filling the sky with tones of black, grey and beige.

She headed east as the dream had suggested. Reading road signs to try and navigate towards whatever elusive conclusion, roman had intended for her.

Morgan had thought much about Roman since their time apart, not just about his strong jaw, deceivingly devious smile and powerful arms, but the shadow that appeared in her vision of him. Whatever that man was, he knew more than she could ever hope... he certainly wasn't human.

The Stark-White girl jolted as a shoulder barged into her, nearly knocking her off her feet. regaining her footing, she looked up to see furious amber eyes.

The woman was fair with long dark brown hair dyed a fiery orange at it's ends. Her face creased into an angry scowl that fowled her pretty features. She thrust a finger into Morgan's' chest "Watch it, bean-pole."

"Watch yourself, Piss-head." Morgan shot back instictively.

The woman's eyes widened in shock at Morgan's sudden rebuttal. Growling, she seemed ready to pop Morgan right in the jaw, getting in her face and clenching her fist.

"Jack, what the hell do you think you're doing?" At first, all Morgan heard was the voice, but then a figure stormed out from behind her.

The Woman that came into view, had Morgan stunned. nearly as tall as she was, the woman was clearly wealthy, with her long coat of ivory furs and silver studded earrings, a similar age to Morgan herself. Without a doubt, she was easily the most beautiful woman that the Young Witch had ever seen.

Her hair was a mane of pale locks that shone with hints of gold, each divine strand weaved into an expertly crated braid that mixed in with the wavy stream that fell on her shoulders. Her eyes were crystal blue extenuated by the dark eyeshadow which intensified her stare.

This stare was one that Morgan decided she never wanted to be on the wrong end of, as when she pointed it at the Orange-haired woman: Jack, the girl quivered "I uh, I was just-"

"You were harassing some poor girl over an accident that you caused. Did I or did I not tell you to slow down and stop barging around folks?" The Angelic girl asked, her decisive tone cutting through the air like a knife.

Jack frowned, rubbing her arm "This asshole was in my way, I was just-"

But she stopped in her tracks, as the Angel glared with a gaze that could make stone tremble. "Did I tell you? Or am I having a lapse in memory?"

Jack folded her arms, grunting "yeah, You told me."

The Angel's anger melted, giving way to a smile full of sunshine "Exactly, now be a good girl and run along. Without nearly knocking anyone on her ass, got it?"

Jack shot a sneer at Morgan, who stuck out her tongue. Waving the both of them off, the fiery girl walked off "Whatever."

The Angelic girl hummed lightly and turned to Morgan, who suddenly felt very subconscious about her appearance in comparison to the vision before her. "I'm sorry about her. That's a... interesting dress. what's your name?" She asked with a 'butter wouldn't melt' tone.

Morgan went to speak, but barely opened her mouth before the girl cut in. shoving a hand out in an all too graceful way "Evangeline Uriel."

Taking her hand hesitantly, she felt a strange twinge flash across her brow "...Hedwig."

"Hedwig!? Pft that's clearly a fake name, you come up with that yourself?"

Morgan felt something that she hadn't in a long time, her eyes narrowed and she removed her hand from Evangeline's "No." Vexed, she was vexed. Morgan was fairly docile, she didn't even hold hatred against Bradly or those thugs in the alley for trying to **** themselves on her, it was of little consequence, such things were merely a man's nature, but the name she used was the one her Mistress had given her.

Evangeline Uriel didn't pay any mind, she merely took back her hand and gestured for Morgan to follow "Your heading to East-Wallace academy I take it. Come on, I'm already showing that Airhead Jaquelin the way, might as well bring you along too. Come on now keep up, she's bound to shoulder barge some poor fool if we don't catch up!"

Blinking, Morgan stood still "East Wallace Academy?"

"Hey, Hedwig, don't forget, Education is important!" Roman remained her.

Evangeline turned, looking exasperated as she marched back up to Morgan and pulled her by her arm "Come on, no lollygagging, let's go!"

"Ey!" Morgan yelped as she was dragged along.

The two of them walked through the dense populace, weaving through the crowd as best they could while Morgan proposed a question "How did you know I was heading towards East Wallace, Ms Uriel?"

"Please, no need to be so formal, call me Angie. I can tell you aren't used to friendly strangers, but I'm on the up and up, we're about the same age, you're clearly ambitious - that fish outta water look. Exactly like every aspiring student I've ever met."

"Ambitious? how can you tell, I'm ambitious just by looking at me?" She asked.

Angie chuckled "Come on, darling it's intuition, anyone dying their hair that white has to either gotta be insane or a straight up trailblazer. Either way, you got a vision for your life and I respect that."

Morgan tilted her head, she didn't know what this lady was talking about, she was born the way she was. In fact when Morgan had first seen black hair when venturing from Her Mistress' laboratory for the first time, she projectile vomited on the guy, thinking he had some sort of disease.

"You aren't very talkative, huh?" Angie lamented "Oh well, we are nearly there. Do make sure to keep up."

Striding out with her long legs, Morgan marched directly onward, easily overtaking Angie who grimaced, struggling to keep up in her glossy-heeled boots. "Hey, hey easy there."

"Make up your mind." Morgan merely muttered, not bothering to slow as they crept through the busy city streets.

In the roughly twenty-minute walk eastward, Morgan noticed the architecture become smaller but significantly richer. This area was clearly very wealthy, the streets were sparkling clean and the people, while still in an awful hurry, were more sharply dressed and obviously pampered.

By the end of their stroll, Morgan saw Jaquelin standing on the sidewalk, arms folded, face still sour. Morgan stopped by her side and Angie followed, the three beholding the huge bronze gate leading into a gathering of ancient buildings.

Many young people flooded beneath its tall arches and grand halls, smoking cigarettes in the vast carpark by their expensive cars. The Words: East Wallace Academy, inscribed under the huge circular lens on the main-buildings face.

"If that isn't it, then I'm a comodo dragon" Angie said pridefully.

"...slimy amphibian more like" Jaquelin hissed.

Angie flared, chasing after jack as she walked passed the Bronze gates "What did you just say? You're gonna regret that, ginger snap!"

Morgan sighed, the place looked... a little too rich-blooded for her taste. She hesitated to even step past the gates.

"Don't trust the rich ones, Hedwig. When you are given things in life instead of taking them for your own, you lack the skills to truly live."

Just as her mistress had warned.

Roman didn't seem like he was lying when he directed her here. All her life she'd taken leaps of faith, this was no different, if she was going to learn then she had to take risks.

And so Morgan Blair took her first step off of the sidewalk, through the Bronze gates, into the preppy academy.