The pool was more than water; the Mirror of Avalir was one of the oldest and most revered talismans from the Age of the Caretakers. For over a thousand years, Novates had come to the Mirror before departing on their yearlong destiny quest, seeking to discover hints of their fate from the whirling mélange of images. Flashes of shimmering light reflected unevenly off the walls, with no evidence of the source.
It took a moment for Larah to realize the light came from the pool. She gathered up her gown and stepped to the edge of the Mirror. Her reflection greeted her. Slowly, her toes touched its face, which rippled slightly. Hesitantly, she broke the surface.
Fog billowed around her in tufts and twirls. She could not see the walls of the chamber …show more content…
Most made no sense to her, though the eye one did. In her studies, the image of a glowing eye was clearly a reference to a clairvoyant. But what was she supposed to do with this? She stepped into the doorway of Melinda’s quarters, and found her sitting at an ancient ornate writing desk, staring out the window. The Headmistress turned toward her and flashed a smile. “Enter child.”
Larah smiled back warmly and entered. She needed to talk to someone, and in all her years at the Tower, Melinda never turned anyone away. Nevertheless, she apologized, “I’m sorry to bother you, sister.”
“My dear,” Melinda replied. “I am always here for you. Please sit. What brings you here?”
Larah nodded and settled into a chair. She began haltingly, “The images ... from the Mirror.”
Melinda motioned her to stop. “No one within the Order is allowed to help you interpret what you saw. Doing so risks altering the meaning of the images. It is best you learn what they mean on your own. You know this.”
Her swift, but mild admonishment stung, yet Larah pressed on, “Yes sister, I understand no one in the Order can offer me help. However, am I correct in assuming those outside the Order are not subject to this …show more content…
You presume too much. This person is not a she. Secondly, he has been gone a long time, and even if he still lives, perhaps no one - save the Caretakers - may know of his whereabouts.”
Larah pursed her lips. “Where did the Order find him?”
“He came to us.”
“I don’t understand. Men are not allowed on the island nor have been in the Order for over two hundred years.” A slight grin crept across her face, “Not even you are that old.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Melinda said patting Larah’s hand. “What you say is true.” She paused to recollect. “But forty years ago a young man arrived on the island, asking for healing. He had almost lost his sanity, unable to comprehend the visions tormenting him. Yet these apparitions were most remarkable, being exceedingly vivid and ultimately foreshadowing events.”
Larah could barely contain herself as she balanced on the edge of the chair, “A clairvoyant! What happened to him?”
Melinda exhaled, then clasped her hands. With some effort, she grinned. “We worked with him, taught him to control his visions, worked on his interpretive skills.” She paused. “A brilliant student, he mastered what we taught, so much so, the Sisters entertained the idea of bringing him into the Order.” Abruptly, she broke eye contact. After what appeared to be a brief tussle with her thoughts, she continued in a flat and expressionless tone, “But before a decision could be made, he disappeared one night and was never seen
It took a moment for Larah to realize the light came from the pool. She gathered up her gown and stepped to the edge of the Mirror. Her reflection greeted her. Slowly, her toes touched its face, which rippled slightly. Hesitantly, she broke the surface.
Fog billowed around her in tufts and twirls. She could not see the walls of the chamber …show more content…
Most made no sense to her, though the eye one did. In her studies, the image of a glowing eye was clearly a reference to a clairvoyant. But what was she supposed to do with this? She stepped into the doorway of Melinda’s quarters, and found her sitting at an ancient ornate writing desk, staring out the window. The Headmistress turned toward her and flashed a smile. “Enter child.”
Larah smiled back warmly and entered. She needed to talk to someone, and in all her years at the Tower, Melinda never turned anyone away. Nevertheless, she apologized, “I’m sorry to bother you, sister.”
“My dear,” Melinda replied. “I am always here for you. Please sit. What brings you here?”
Larah nodded and settled into a chair. She began haltingly, “The images ... from the Mirror.”
Melinda motioned her to stop. “No one within the Order is allowed to help you interpret what you saw. Doing so risks altering the meaning of the images. It is best you learn what they mean on your own. You know this.”
Her swift, but mild admonishment stung, yet Larah pressed on, “Yes sister, I understand no one in the Order can offer me help. However, am I correct in assuming those outside the Order are not subject to this …show more content…
You presume too much. This person is not a she. Secondly, he has been gone a long time, and even if he still lives, perhaps no one - save the Caretakers - may know of his whereabouts.”
Larah pursed her lips. “Where did the Order find him?”
“He came to us.”
“I don’t understand. Men are not allowed on the island nor have been in the Order for over two hundred years.” A slight grin crept across her face, “Not even you are that old.”
“Thank you for the compliment,” Melinda said patting Larah’s hand. “What you say is true.” She paused to recollect. “But forty years ago a young man arrived on the island, asking for healing. He had almost lost his sanity, unable to comprehend the visions tormenting him. Yet these apparitions were most remarkable, being exceedingly vivid and ultimately foreshadowing events.”
Larah could barely contain herself as she balanced on the edge of the chair, “A clairvoyant! What happened to him?”
Melinda exhaled, then clasped her hands. With some effort, she grinned. “We worked with him, taught him to control his visions, worked on his interpretive skills.” She paused. “A brilliant student, he mastered what we taught, so much so, the Sisters entertained the idea of bringing him into the Order.” Abruptly, she broke eye contact. After what appeared to be a brief tussle with her thoughts, she continued in a flat and expressionless tone, “But before a decision could be made, he disappeared one night and was never seen