Epsilon

by Dezirae Bates

  “Much like everything else in magic, it picks you. Your soul will call to one of the origins. And, that will be your home.”

  Chapter 5

  Chase had escorted them from the Chancellor’s office and out to a rather luxurious foyer, Cassidy chewing on her bottom lip as her arms crossed over her chest, hugging her tightly.

  “You’re nervous,” he said, more as a statement than a question and she was so enthralled at something on the floor that she didn’t even hear what he had said.

  “Huh?” she asked, snapping her head up to look at him and shaking her head, her shoulders dropping low as she tried to process everything the Chancellor told her over the past hour.

  “I said, you seem nervous. Your energy, you alright?” he asked, arching a brow and she shifted her weight uncomfortably.

  “Don’t do that,” she said, her voice slightly cold as she leaned back against the ornate wall, running her hand over her face and breathing as calmly as she could. “Don’t do your... mind or bond shit on me, okay. I never asked for any of this. I never asked for you. I definitely didn’t ask for you to save me so don’t go reading me,” she snapped.

  Chase’s eyes narrowed quickly, shaking his head before he spoke. “You didn’t ask for me to save you but I did and I was there and now there’s a bond between us that you’ll get to have for the rest of your life. We’re a part of you now. I’m a part of you now. So, like it or not, I’m not going anywhere and maybe you’ll learn to understand why I did what I did in the first place with time. I wasn’t going to just let you die.” Chase didn’t like the tone she decided to take with him, especially with everything that she had just learned. “And, before you think that you’re some special gift, I didn’t have to use my Origin to tell that you were nervous. Your flushed, your hugging your arms to your chest, sorry I’m perceptive,” he finished.

  Cassidy ran her tongue over the bottom of her lip, angry at him, angry at the situation and angry at herself. It was a situation that didn’t appear to be getting any better as she continued on and she was taking it out on everyone else instead of dealing with it.

  “How can you expect to tell someone this after everything that’s happened to me and expect me to be okay right now?” Her voice sounded like it was going to break and Chase walked over to her, stepping to stand in front of her and her hands dropped to her sides, trying to put on a strong face.

  “Because, we’ve all been in your shoes before,” he said softly, reminding her that the path to triggering a signet all ended the same way. Death. She bit her bottom lip, closed her eyes and nodded, hating herself just a bit more for sounding so whiny in a situation in which he had faced himself whenever he was triggered.

  “I know it’s been a lot but, you’ve got about an hour or so until they round up the other signets triggered in the past few days for Origin selection. You should probably head down to the grand ballroom and mingle for a bit. I’ll be down there once it all starts but I need to finish some things with the Chancellor beforehand. You think you can find your way well enough?” Chase took a step back away from her as he watched her, trying his best to stay out her head while she thought through his question.

  “Yeah, yeah, I think, yeah, I’ve got it.” She nodded, pushing herself off of the wall and running her fingers through the hem of her tank top, pulling it down and taking a step towards the hall in front of her that lead her to the rest of the building. Chase looked her over one last time before nodding, heading back towards the Chancellor’s office and leaving Cassidy alone for the first time since they arrived.

  “Yeah, I can do this,” she muttered, glancing back towards the office before continuing the long walk down the corridor. There were a few photos, some symbols that she didn’t recognize but other than that, it really seemed somewhat lifeless. It wasn’t a school, she could understand that much. It was more... a collection of people than anything else. Chase was obviously in his mid twenties, the Chancellor well over sixty and herself being twenty-two, there was no way she was going back to school. Not even magic school.

  Her fingers brushed the wall as she rounded the corner, listening as the sounds further down towards the ballroom grew. Someone pushed open one of the doors, the sounds of a full on party pulsing down the corridor and Cassidy grinned slightly. Through the whirlwind of emotions, a party was something she could get behind. One last step and one last breath and before she knew it, she was pulled into the grand ballroom.

  The room had a pulse that was indescribable. The beat through the room filled her chest and her heart started to race. The colors of the origins moved across the room as five pedelstals sat in the dead center of the room. Each had it’s greek symbol emblazoned in granite, the designation of the five origins the Chancellor had gone over earlier in the day. There was probably over two hundred people packed into the room, laughing and talking amongst themselves. The ages ranged from preteen to all the way up to the elderly few off to the edges. It was such a strange place to be in but it was like she was made to be in that room. She actually felt like she was at home.

  “Oi! Why don’t you have a drink? All newbies have to have a drink!” A voice rang out, handing Cassidy the glowing yellow drink and laughing. The woman had fiery red hair and more noticeable than that was the sprawling tattoo that started below her shoulder and crawled up her neck, taking over her entire right side. It was intricately designed, a Mendala sort of style that made the drawing look like lace up her side. However distracting it was, it was insanely beautiful.

  “Katherine,” she said, pointing to herself with a grin, taking a hefty drink before sparking the blue over her hands to denote her Origin. “Omicron, if you were curious. You’re Chase’s find, yeah?” she questioned and Cassidy nodded as she found her lips to the straw of the drink and took a sip. The drink instantly warmed her from the inside, opening up her senses and making the feel of her heartbeat more sensitive than it was earlier.

  “Whoa,” she laughed, glancing at the drink while Katherine grinned.

  “Dosed booze. Great in moderation but can take you for a hell of a ride the first time out. Be careful!” she said, squeezing her hand before letting her go and continuing on with the party.

  A few more minutes passed, Cassidy making small talk with a few from Sigma, the Necromancy Origin. She anticipated that many of them would be very standoffish but it seemed that everyone in the room was rather welcoming. She couldn’t peg if it was because any of them could share an Origin or not but it was nice to be apart of a room so full of life—especially with so many able to control life and death.

  After speaking with a few more people, the Chancellor made his way into the chamber, grasping the hands of a few along the path to the pedestals that were ready to be greeted by the newest of active signets.

  “Settle down, settle down. I know, everyone is very excited to see how the events of the night go but, patience. It’s a virtue I know most of you don’t have,” he said with a grin, causing a few of the already initiated members to laugh before addressing the new people to the room. “There are fourteen of you here today to find which Origin you belong in. This is a ceremony that we’ve all been through and one that is a long time coming for all of you. Your signet was there since birth. This Origin has always been a part of you and now, the world will know where your soul belongs. Taking on the connection to an Origin is a process no one should take lightly. By stepping forward and committing to an Origin, you pledge to protect and uphold the laws that the Exodus have created for centuries. You will strive to learn more and teach along the way and to always hold the respect of your Origin along with others above everything else.” The Chancellor spoke in a tone that was rather soothing and it wasn’t long before Cassidy was drinking the koolaide. The entire ceremony process was foreign to her but she was more than excited to embark on an adventure that gave her a family and a purpose. Especially after the past year.

  The first four people went, coming to the pedestals and touching each symbol
on the granite before finding which they belonged to. The granite would glow the color of its respective branded magic and the other four pedestals would disappear. The first two people went to Omicron, the healing Origin. The next to Sigma, the necromancy Origin, Chi after that, the telekinetic Origin and before Cassidy knew it, it was her turn.

  Her name echoed through the hall, a few mumbles about who she was spreading across the room. Being joined wasn’t a common occurrence and it was quickly spread around that she was one of the newest triggered signets ready to find her Origin. The fact that she was joined to another Chi made it highly likely that she too, would be a Chi. Cassidy didn’t really know where she belonged.

  Her steps carried her into the center of the pedestals and it wasn’t long before she was seeking out someone in front of her that she recognized. She was thankful that she wasn’t going first, at least. The Chancellor urged her to push forward, Cassidy lifting her gaze amongst the crowd, everyone waiting on baited breath for her to find where she would end up.

  Just breathe, Cassidy. One of them is your home. You’ll find it.

  Her head snapped up to find Chase when she heard his voice in her head, almost ready to respond to him aloud until she realized that he was in her head. It took her a moment to spot his tousled hair in the back of the room but it didn’t take him more than a second to show a cocky grin that was practically permanently etched on his face.

  Cassidy laughed softly, glancing away from him before looking at the pedestals. With a deep breath, she moved forward to the Chi symbol, assuming, like everyone else, that was where she was destined to go. And, about a moment after her hand rested on the granite, the pedestal sunk away from her and disappeared within the floor.

  There were a few gasps when the Chi symbol didn’t react to her hand and Cassidy quickly glance up to Chase to confirm she should continue. He gave her a nod and the Chancellor followed suit as she moved on to the Delta symbol, her hand grazing the stone and it shuddered away from her touch, sinking into the ground faster than the Chi element had. Cassidy decided that she wanted to just continue to go through the circle until one reacted to her and right as she was about to touch the Omicron symbol, she turned and faced the Epsilon one. A quick intake of breath and before she could direct herself to walk towards it, her feet were already moving. It was as if there was a pull, unbeknownst to her, that she needed to go and touch that pedestal.

  Cassidy’s hand connected with the pillar and unlike the others, the Epsilon pillar pulsed a bright and vibrant green color, enveloping around her hand and then around her body as the rest of the pillars sunk to the ground. A heavy breeze rocked through the room as the other Epsilons around her showed off their green energy, calling forth all the elements at once to make the overwhelming feeling that much stronger. Touching the pedestal was like completing a part of her body. All the anticipation rolled off in waves, a calm she had never experienced before taking its place. It was as if a gaping hole in her soul was filled. Complete, even.

  For the first time in her life, she felt truly and completely at home.

  “Cassidy Hawkins, welcome to Epsilon,” the Chancellor spoke, all the Epsilon members sparking the green into the air as the magic settled into her hands. Cassidy lifted her hand, staring at her palm and then to her arms, watching as the green light ebbed and flowed from her skin.

  Within the group, an older woman, in her mid forties, came through the crowd to greet Cassidy.

  “I'm Rebecca, Elder of Epsilon. Welcome home,” she said, the smile gracing her features. Her hair was a dirty blonde with a few strands of gray, her signet was on the inside of her right wrist, easily seen as she stood in front of Cassidy. Once the elder said welcome home, the rest of Epsilon uttered welcome home with a few cheers and excited exclamations in the back. Cassidy laughed, glancing around as all the eyes were on her and she held a ball of green energy in her hands before clasping them closed. It was a feeling she'd never experienced before. And, she was loving it.

  Chapter 6

  When the Chancellor said that the Exodus would become her family, he wasn’t kidding. The minute the Epsilon pedestal ignited green, Cassidy was given all the rights and privileges of an Exodus member. A room was perhaps her biggest highlight. Rebecca gave her the keys to her home away from home after the ceremony ended. It took her a little while to navigate through the halls and rooms, trying desperately to find where her room was within the compound. Hell, at this point, she didn’t even know where she was in relation to her home. Everything was happening so fast and Cassidy was trying to absorb everything as it came at her.

  Finally finding the hall in which her room was connected, she walked down until the fourth door on the right, seeing her name engraved into the gold plate to the right of the door. “Cool,” she muttered, slipping the key into the slot and knocking as she opened the door. Inside was one large king bed, adorned with lavish sheets and bedding. There was a desk with a few books—basic elemental magic being one of them—and a small lamp. The room led into a kitchenette and then into a rather large ensuite bathroom with a tile tub and vanity mirror set. It was as if the room was like a hotel and it was lovely. It almost made her forget about everything that happened over the past few weeks. Almost.

  On the table was a letter addressed to her, written in Rebecca’s handwriting. Her name was delicately sprawled across the top and it made her heart skip a beat. Another surprise?

  I hope all the accommodations are to your liking. If you need anything, simply ask Geoff. He’s our housing liasion for Epsilon and he’ll make sure you’re taken care of. You’ve been paired up with Olivia as your mentor within Epsilon. She’ll help guide you within the Origin, help you with your magic, teach you the basics. Chase will be around for things but Olivia is a member of our Origin and greatly respected within our circles. I’m sure you’ll love her. If you need me, you’ll know how to contact me soon enough. —R

  Cassidy left the note on the table, plopping down on the bed, kicking off her shoes and laying down, staring at the ceiling. My, how her life had changed.

  A few minutes passed as she simply sat in silence, letting the beat of her heart lull her into a calm before she lifted her hands to stare at them. She thought, at first, that just thinking about her Origin would bring it to the surface, expecting the green to wrap itself around her skin and ignite the room. But, it was obvious that wasn’t the case.

  At twenty minutes into trying to will her magic to the surface, a knock echoed on the wood of her door which snapped her head up towards the noise. Answering it, there was a very petite woman, late teens or early twenties with bright green eyes and black hair.

  “You must be Olivia?” Cassidy asked, arching a brow at the woman and managing a gentle smile, Olivia returning the gesture in kind.

  “That’d be me. If Rebecca didn’t tell me that she told you I’d be by, I’d think you really were meant to be in Chi,” she said with a laugh, leaning into the nook of the door. “So, ready to get down to the nitty gritty? Not saying the Origin ceremony isn’t fun but... learning the Origin is far more entertaining. And thrilling,” she said, her grin growing as did Cassidy’s.

  “This is gonna get me in trouble,” Cassidy muttered, glancing back to her room for a minute before flipping the lock on the handle, closing the door behind her and slipping the key in her back pocket, ready for what Olivia wanted to show her. “Lead the way,” she said, ushering her arm in front of her.

  Olivia nodded, grabbing her phone from her back pockets and sending off a quick text before stashing it away again, looking up to Cassidy and clapping her hands together. “So, you’ve got to have questions. What do you want to start off with first?” she asked, walking down the corridor at the same pace as Cassidy.

  “How do I make it work?” she blurted out, a slight tinge of pink igniting her cheeks before looking to her hands. “I mean, I’ve been trying for about the past half hour and it’s really starting to piss me off,” she laughed. Olivia nodded, lift
ing her hand up and igniting the green instantly, a quick breeze passing past them in the hall.

  “See! That! How’d you do that?” Cassidy exclaimed, staring at her hands in anger.

  “Well, first, origins are grounded in not only your emotions but also your soul. It was a gift that was bestowed upon us at birth. And, something that’s brewed inside you for the past twenty-two years, just begging to break the surface. Now that it has, it’s not used to the freedom. So, you have to learn to channel it,” she said, stopping the walk down the hall and facing Cassidy, grabbing her hands in the process. “Here. Close your eyes,” she said, Cassidy looking down the hall before looking back to Olivia and closing her eyes. “Now, take a deep breath. Hold it in for a few seconds, maybe even a second longer than you think you can and then blow it out, slowly,” she instructed, watching as Cassidy followed her to a T. “Now, clear your mind. You’re an Epsilon. Your magic, more than anyone else, starts at your core. Your body is a vessel. Now, take that power, that surge of energy that you never really noticied before until now, and channel it. Think about what you want, what you need, and make it a reality.” Olivia’s voice was soothing, almost entrancing as Cassidy listened. Each word drew her in deeper and deeper and before she knew it, the warmth spread across her hands. Her breath caught in her throat, her eyes opening only when she knew she’d conjured it to her hands and the wind whipped around them instantly. The wind grew rather quickly, both Cassidy and Olivia’s hair an uncontrollable mess as Olivia grabbed her hands, bringing Cassidy back to the moment, the wind stopping almost immediately.

  “Control is something you’ll learn in time. There are several elements that you have the ability to tap into now. And each have a different... taste to them,” she grinned, snapping her fingers and calling a flame to her hand, the green magic glowing with the red of the flame. “Each element will conjure a different feeling within you. You’ll generally have one that you’ll specialize in more than others but no one will know until you do,” she shrugged.