2. The Black Seal

   The next morning Pepper, Sneaux, Myrrh, and Nevaeira all enter the dining hall together and take a seat at the table. When everyone was seated, breakfast started to appear on the tables. After, Celyn and Tannon walk in and take their usual seating alone together. Today a late student arrived, Eira. She looks around the dining hall hesitantly when Boreas blows in and takes physical form. His cold wind flowing through out the hall. He looks around before seeing Eira off by herself and approaches. " Can I help you, you seem a bit troubled." He asks her

 

    Eira smiles softly "No, Im fine, just taking everything in. Thank you, though." She holds out a hand "Im Eira."

 

    " My name is Boreas, the North Wind." Boreas greets, shaking her hand.

 

   Myrrh see's Boreas and Eira and walks over to them. She flashes a smile to Eira. " Hi, I'm Myrrh. Why don't you come sit with us?" She offers

 

   Boreas quickly lets go of Eira's hand. He didn't want to freeze the girl. " Why don't we take her up on her offer Eira? " He suggest politely.

 

  Nevaeira sees Boreas walking over with a new girl. " Hello, I am Nevaeira."

 

  " I'm Eira. Nice to meet you." Eira greets

 

 

  " Hey Neveah." IMyrrh waves to her, " I invited Eira. If you don't mind? " Eira you just missed Tannon and I's show!"

 

    " It was amazing! Last night they preformed their ice and fire together and it created a phoenix!" Nevaeira exclaims

 

  I laugh lightly "And to think I missed that to help train some young ice makers." Eira comments

 

   " You're an ice maker too? Oh, you and Tannon would get along so well!" Nevaeira tells Eira then looks at Myrrh, " Just imagine what the three of you could create!"

 

   " I would love to meet him. I have never worked with a Fireling before, it could be very interesting to see what happens." Eira says

 

   Nevaeira smiles. " I could even help with the creation using my own magic. Boreas and Celyn could use their magic to protect us against one anothers elements."

 

  Myrrh glances around the room and steps closer to Nevaeira. " Where does Malakai eat?" She asks quietly

 

   Nevaeira points to a shadowed corner. " Over there." She whispers back

 

   Myrrh's stomach flips around with butterflies. She just couldn't convince herself to go talk to him. " I don't want to upset him anymore... I don't want Malakai to get mad at me before he knows me..." She says to Nevaeira

 

   Nevaeira shrugs. " I am sure he would like someone to talk to. He just needs someone to make the first move."

 

   Boreas blows a gust of wind to Myrrh to push her along to talk to him. " Go on." He says

 

   Myrrh stands in front of Malakai in an instant. " Uhm, uh. H-Hi Malakai." She stammers.

 

   Malakai looks and remembers she was the girl who created the bird. He nods to her then looks back down. " Hey..." He mumbles

 

   " Ah, um... I-I can just leave you alone..." Myrrh says, blushing greatly.

 

   " What's your name?" He asks her before she leaves

 

   " Oh, my name is Myrrh."

 

   " Hmm, Myrrh huh? That's a pretty name." Malakai comments

 

   " T-Thank you! I-I like your name too! It's fire like." Myrrh replies

 

   Malakai glances at her again, " My name means Messenger of God."

 

   " T-That's beautiful." Myrrh says, taking a seat in front of him.

 

   For awhile they sit their in silence. Malakai pushes the foot on his plate around with a fork while Myrrh looks around the room, trying to think of something to talk about.

 

   " So, did you see the phoenix?" Myrrh asks him

 

   Malakai nods. " It was quite magnificent." He says

 

   " Tannon and I plan on doing more combining magic." Myrrh smiles, " Well it was nice talking to you."

 

   Malakai nods and stands up. " Talk to you later." He tells her before walking out of the dining hall.

 

 

 

 Back in the girls dorm, Myrrh sits in the living room, embarrassed and trying to hold back her tears. Nevaeira comes in behind her and sits with her.

 

   " I'm sorry for being so dramatic..." Myrrh says quietly

 

   " Don't worry about it. Malakai is really hard to talk to, but if you try again, I'm sure he will open up more."

 

  " Yeah but I was so weird, and he probably has other things to spend time on then waste them on me! Oh! Thanks Neveah, you are so nice!" Myrrh inhales and exhales slowly. Then She was calm. " It's ok though. I will survive, this isn't the end of the world."

 

   Nevaeira smiles. " Well as long as you survive." She says jokingly

 

   Myrrh smiles and laughs. " Well...should we go finish our meal?" Myrrh asks.

 

  " Well, considering breakfast is over, I brought some food along for you." Nevaeira says as a plate of food appears on the table

 

    " Thanks! Could we invite the others up here? I feel bad for leaving them!" Myrrh bites her lip." I was also embarrassed for them seeing what happened even though I knew they were supportive."

 

   Nevaeira nods then closes her eyes, sending a mental signal to the others to join them.

 

  

 The girls go to the Lounge to meet up with Tannon and Celyn. Nevaeira was going to introduce Eira to Tannon. Just the though of what they could all create together gave Nevaeira shivers.

 

   " Tannon, this is Eira the new Ice Maker I was telling you about." Nevaeira says

 

  " Eira, nice to meet you. I am Tannon, and this is Celyn the Christmas Elf." Tannon greets warmly

 

    Eira smiles at him "One of my best friends was a Christmas Elf, he always managed to impress me, you are all just so talented, it never fails to surprise me." She tells them

 

    " Celyn, why don't you show her something?" Tannon asks him.

 

   Celyn nods slightly and clap his hands together then places his left hand flat and the other pointed up behind it and a music box shimmers into existence. Celyn opens the lid and a beautiful harmony flows out.

 

   " See, everything Christmas Elves make is always to wonderful." Eira exclaims

 

   Eira waves her hands together and creates a replica of the little music box, but when she opens it, no music plays. "I cant make it play music, though. I haven't been able to figure out how." the box she holds is like it, but not perfectly. The colors aren't as vibrant, and it doesn't shimmer. Yours is far better than mine."

 

   Tannon takes the ice box from Eira's hands and encloses it in his hands. When he opens his hands again, the colours are vibrant ice and when Tannon opens the lid, the sound plays. " It just takes patience and confidence."

 

   Eira tries again but hesitates before opening it. Slowly the song sounds from the box and she smiles. Eira touches the box and it melts through her fingers. " It still isn't amazing as yours Celyn." She comments

 

   Celyn reaches out and places the music box he made into Eira's hands without saying a word. She smiles. " Thanks Celyn."

 

    Just outside of the lounge is Malakai, sitting up in a tree gazing at the snow. The sun shines brightly that morning, making the snow look like crystals blanketing the ground. Malakai is just about to fall asleep when he hears someone below. The new girl, Eira. Malakai adjusts himself so she won't see him, but the branch moves and the snow falls off and falls on Eira.

 

   Eira gasps lightly as a pile of snow drops on on. Looking up, she see's Malakai. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know anyone was out here."

 

   "Sorry...." Malakai murmurs

 

   "Oh, it's fine." She brushws snow off of herself, then realizes it's probably all in herhair. Eira sighs softly and gives up on cleaning it all off. "It would have probably happened sooner or later." She looks back up "Should I leave? I didn't mean to disturb you."

 

    Malaki softly jumps onto the snowy ground and looks at her. She is an ice-maker. He thinks to himself " It's fine, you can stay if you'd like."

 

    Eira smiles. " Thanks, it's get a little crowded in the Lounge."

 

   " What's your name?" Malakai asks

 

   " Eira, and you?"

   " Malakai."

 

  Eira looks up at him "Why are you so alone?" She asks suddenly "You just...you're upset, I can tell, the question is: why?" Eira looks back down "Sorry, that's probably pretty personal, isn't it?"

 

   Malakai leans against the tree and look down. " My bride-to-be died two years ago..." He tells her

 

   "There's a time for grieving, and a time for rejoicing." Eira stands up, "I doubt she'd want you to mope about it and be miserable the rest of your life." She tells him gently, "Just think about that." Eira lightly puts a hand on his shoulder as she passes him, then lets go, walking back towards the school.

 

~~~

 

   Back in the lounge Tannon and Myrrh stand together with their hands twined, creating a flower from ice and fire. Myrrh glances around then looks up at Tannon.

 

   " Um, I know it's kind of personal," She whispers, " But are you and Celyn... a thing? Like, together?"

 

   Tannon laughs quietly and nods. " Yes, Celyn as been my boyfriend since him and I were in middle school." He tells her as the ice and fire melt together and begin to take form of the flower.

 

   Myrrh knows she was just being mean and jealous, but she couldn't focus. Eira was having this long conversation with Malakai outside and she could barely get a word out! "I can't do this now Tannon!" Myrrh drops their half-made flower. "I'm going in my room, please don't follow me!" She yells and then she speed travels to her room where she pouted like a jealous little brat. I am so stupid. She falls back on her bed and groaned.

 

   The flower drops to the ground. Was she against relationships like the one Tannon has with Celyn? Did she not support them? Tannon turns to Celyn and he looks at Tannon worriedly. Tannon doesn't understand, whats the big deal? Celyn and Tannon sit on the couch, but he just couldn't stop thinking that Myrrh was possibly annoyed with his relationship. People have been surprised by my relationship with Celyn before, but none ever ran away like that. Tannon thinks. Myrrh realizes she should go apologize to Tannon, she didn't want him to think that she had a problem with him and Tannon, so Myrrh runs back down to the lounge and hugs both of them dramatically.

 

   " I'm sorry! I didn't run because of you! I think it's wonderful you have found love! And you are both nice smart people!" Myrrh cries

  

   " Then why did you run away?" Tannon asks

 

   " Because I'm mean, I get jealous of people I barely know!" Myrrh's hair turns crimson red and all the fire in the room explodes suddenly.

 

   Celyn flinches and grabs Tannon's arm tightly, his eyes scrunched closed when the fire explodes. Tannon puts a hand on Celyn's cheek. " It's okay Celyn..." He whispers then looks at Myrrh.

 

    Boreas uses his wind to snuff out all the candles in the room so that the fire wouldn't spread. " You need to gain more control over your emotions." He tells Myrrh coldly.

 

   "I'm SORRY Boreas!" Myrrh yells. She had spent her whole life on emotion control lessons and she didn't need more lectures, " I do try!" Myrrh spat at him. She sits down again after realizing she was standing. I need to calm down. 

 

   Celyn pulls on Tannon's sleeves and buries his face in his shoulder. He hated it when people fought and yelled at each other. It was his childhood so he couldn't stand it.

 

    " Just try harder to control yourself." Boreas tells Myrrh

 

   Myrrh  knew if she got any angrier she could accidentally kill everyone. Myrrh takes deep breaths. Her hair turned to crimson, "You don't understand, it is very hard for fire people to control their emotions." She looks at Tannon and Celyn but I couldn't be emotional about Celyn's fear. Myrrh remains completely emotionless.

"Sorry. No wonder..." Then she just closed her eyes and died the flames down.

 

     The way the two fought was making Tannon angry, Celyn hated fighting, it scared him more than anything, he became like a child when people began fighting. Tannon closes his eyes and uses his ice to shut the power in the room off and the windows to block the light so it was pitch black. He did this to get their attention.

 

    Boreas stops talking when the room goes dark. " Did you just seal us in Tannon?" He asks, beginning to turn back into wind. 

 

   Myrrh's eyes widened, "Don't seal me in!" She tried to keep my voice quiet for Celyn. "I need the oxygen more than mortals!"

 

    The nature as a wind struggles against the seals and Boreas exploded in a burst of cold wind. " Free me! I will NOT be sealed away again!" He says swirling around the room looking for escape.

 

    " I will lift this seal if you stop this fighting." Tannon demands

 

    "  If you seal me in I will blow up and then die I have no idea about Boreas but I swear if you seal me in!..." Myrrh swallows then starts to cry, " I'm sorry, really sorry. I can't help it. I'm having some personal issue but that isn't an excuse. Let me out. Please, I will do anything.." She chokes on the last words and backed into a corner gripping the walls. 

 

    Myrrh just looked right into Celyn's eyes and he could see the pain and fear in her. Celyn taps Tannon's arm, telling him to lift the seal, so he does. The moment the seal is lifted, Boreas's breezes out of the room.

 

   Tannon and Celyn leave the room and go to the dining hall. Myrrh slidws down against the wall. Being trapped in there reminded her of...to many bad things. The fire kingdom is a beautiful place but the people aren't always. She was shaky as she stoof and headed with everyoneto the dining hall in the back and silent. Myrrhwas glad Boreas made the hole any longer and....She sighed Tannon had a point.

 

    Once everyone was seated in the dining hall, Myrrh slipped away to sit by herself. Her head was swirling with bad memories in the Fire Kingdom. Celyn see how Myrrh is upset the way she distances her self from the rest of them. He quietly walks away from the group and goes over to her. Celyn recognizes the look of pain in her eyes and can tell she is about to cry. he rifles in his pockets and hands her a hankerchief.

 

    Myrrh flares up a little when she saw the hand but realized who it was.

 

   "Thanks." She whispers. Myrrh wanted to go outside, she looks out the window. It wasn't snowing so she could go out. Myrrh stood up silently and made her way to the gardens. Celyn knew she wanted to be alone, so he didn't both and just went back to rejoin the group.

 

   A little while later, Malakai found Myrrh all alone, crying under a tree in the gardens. Myrrh heard him, but ignored the sounds of rustling bushes. Her mind wandered through memories of her parents who were both killed. Her mother was cruel, she'd abuse Myrrh, but in the end made Myrrh a powerful Fireling. But Boreas killed her mother. For reasons unknown. Myrrh created the images of her parents and just stared at them.

 

   " Myrrh? Who are they?" Malakai asks

 

   She looks up and wipes tears away. "They are dead. They were my family until my father was killed and then Boreas killed my mother." She stands up, "I'm sorry for interrupting your walk." Myrrh says. She really was sorry. Malakai probably didn't want to be bothered by a crying girl. Murrh was still standing there half wanting Malakai to keep talking to her.

 

   " Tell me about them."

 

   Myrrh looks up and give him a half smile. "My father was a Light child. He was the star who led the three wise men, he was so nice and warm. He always made me feel better but he was killed by a demon. My mother was the most powerful Flame Child in history. She taught me everything I know but she was evil and cruel. She abused me but in the end she made me stronger. Then Boreas killed her. I have no more family now." She sniffed and rubbed her face.

 

   Malakai looks at her with a bit of shock, " Your father was the North Star?"

 

   Myrrh nods. "Yeah he was amazing. That's why I'm a Christmas Flame. I have an easier time controlling my anger because of my father. It's nice being able to talk to people without constantly keeping a check on my temperature level ya' know?" Malakai was easy to talk to.

 

   " My father knew your father. Your not the last one in your family." Malakai tells her

 

    "Who else do i have?" She spoke carefully. "Fire spirits have powerful emotions. Love is their greatest even above anger. I know this may seem petty to you, but I pretty much need to be loved for my survival." Myrrh felt the rest of her fire course through her body and she felt better. Much better.

 

   " A sister." Malakai says, replicating Myrrh's fire magic to create an image of the girl

 

   Myrrh looks at the image not wanting to believe it, "Who is that?" She asks, "and how do you know her?" Myrrh looks up at Malakai and smiles a little.

 

   " She's an old friend, we met when we were seven. I haven't seen her in awhile though. Her name is Tarsa Elda, meaning Christian Fire Worshiper." Malakai says

 

   " Tarsa Elda...."