Embers of Light and Darkness

"I want you to take a deep breath, clear your mind, and focus only on the sound of my voice," the Paisios said, sitting across from her on the floor.

She did as instructed.

"To familiarize yourself with your gifts, first you have to know what each feels like. Every gift feels different, and the host is the one to make that distinction based on how each feels to them. Now, I want you to try. Just reach within yourself and tell me"

"What do you see or feel?" he asked after a few seconds of silence

Lyla kept her eyes closed as she answered, "I see a beast resting."

"A beast? What sort of beast?"

"It's huge, very huge, and looks like a tiger but with wings. It's very intimidating and scary, but beautiful. It also has different blends of colors on it"

"What kind of colors?"

"There's black, white, blue, gold, and green."

She opened her eyes. "It didn't look like that before."

The Paisios nodded, his finger tapping on his knee 

"Five colors. I think those colors symbolize the different gifts you have. Now, what you have to do is know which color symbolizes what gift."

"We'll start with those you're already familiar with. I want you to think about astral projection, think about this morning," Lyla closed her eyes again, finding it easier to concentrate that way.

"Let's go back to the beginning of your session with the Keeper, remember what she told you about the gift. Now, think about when you entered the state of projection and what it felt like at the time. I want you to stay in that moment."

Lyla's mind drifted back to that white space of emptiness where she was floating. She remembered how strange it felt. How seconds before that she had felt aware of herself in a way she couldn't explain.

Everything seemed enhanced; her sight, hearing, smell. Each of her senses were heightened all at once in away that made her hyperaware. After a few seconds they settled, but not back to normal, more at ease. Like they had adapted

"I want you to think of the moment you were back in our realm," came the Paisios' voice, "how it felt to have successfully projected. Now think of those colors and try to see which best describes it."

"Gold?" she said, opening her eyes, "Gold," she said again, more certain than before

He smiled, "Good. Now let's proceed. I don't know if the Keeper mentioned, but every gift has its disadvantages. For destruction, the Prince found it hard to control. But his will made it possible, and even though he was the second to discover his gift, he was the first to know how to fully use it. 

I want you to think back to the day you experienced it.The destruction"

Yet again, she closed her eyes. 

Her emotions had been in disarray that day, and in response, her magic acted. The more she thought about it, Lyla realized that the gift she had been so afraid of, had been protecting her.

Because of what she felt then her gift had sensed her panic and anguish and unleashed itself to shield her from the 'danger'. It had wanted to keep her safe, yes, it was reckless and scary, but its intentions were pure; it wanted to help.

The realization hit her like a brick.

The fear she had was what the people had felt then, and just like her, they only saw its destruction but never the intention behind it. The Prince had wanted to help his people, but they ignored that and only looked at the damage.

It did not excuse what he did, but Lyla sympathized with his devastation 

She opened her eyes to find the old man keenly looking at her and when he saw the look on her face, he grabbed her hand and placed it between his. Lyla told him what she felt, and he nodded in understanding as she spoke

"Many people did not see what you see now, and in a way, it led to what the prince did, but it was still his decision, his choice. You will make them see the good in the gift, let them know it could have good intentions behind it, that it could help."

She nodded, "I know what color represents it. White, because it's misunderstood. Because the people associated it with the darkness it caused, but I am to make them know otherwise."

He smiled again

"Black represents Creation and recreation. Not only because it is the opposite, but also because something beautiful can be formed from darkness."

This time, he smiled even brighter, a spark forming in his eyes

"The heavens chose right," he said and she allowed herself to believe it, even for just a moment

The Paisios later walked her back to the Keeper's mansion, where the woman was already patiently waiting for her in the library with a book placed at her desk

ILLUSION 

The name was straight to the point 

Lyla sat down and immediately started consuming the contents of the book 

Illusion magic was associated with Umbraeth that much she knew, but the book also delved into the basics of the skill, like how good an illusion was dependant on a person's skill, knowledge and patience. If you were talented enough, one could create an illusion that could easily fool even the mightiest of beings

Its disadvantage, though, was that creating a believable Illusion could be easily draining, especially on an illusion of a larger scale 

Lyla read on about the gift and what it could do; she also learned of powerful illusionists who did great wonders with their gift. The book only contained the basics, and she had more to read before she could truly understand the Keeper, reminded

She didn't mind; the more she knew, the better for her.

Remembering the lesson with the Paisios, Lyla closed her eyes and tried to use the knowledge she had just gained to associate one of the beast's colors with the gift, and since there were only two colors left, it was easier.

The blue on the beast glowed, and she received her answer. Illusion was blue. 

If anyone were to ask her to explain exactly how she knew which color belonged to what, she wouldn't know what to say. It was a feeling of association that only she could understand, a familiarity between the two that only she could see and feel. Frankly, it was strange, like a sixth sense only those with magic could maybe understand 

Lyla kept her eyes closed and tried to touch her various gifts, poking at them slightly to familiarize herself. She noted the differences between them and how distinct they responded. Illusion was curious, Destruction was eager, Astral projection was inviting, and Creation/recreation was shy.

They felt like living and breathing beings, with different personalities, emotions, and responses.

Out of curiosity, she also poked at the green one. It was calm and silent, not giving any reaction, but there was this cloud of mystery around it like a mighty volcano, quiet but never to be underestimated. 

It was just biding its time, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to erupt.