rogueinladysclothing | The beginnings of magic [Writing Prompt]

It started with a dream.

Amelia could remember reaching for someone, someone she had loved and lost. There was no name or face, but she could see their extended hand reaching for her across the distance.

“You can do this.” The voice was familiar, but she couldn’t place it.

“I’ve tried everything. It’s not in my blood. I... I can’t. I shouldn’t have even tried.” She was defeated before she even came up with the idea. How could she, someone who could trace her lineage back for more than a dozen generations and know for certain there was nothing there, have ever learned to use magic? Without outside help, without owing someone a debt she’s not sure she could ever repay, it seemed hopeless. It was hopeless.

Still, she kept reaching for the offered hand through the darkness. It felt like the right thing to do and she didn’t hesitate.

“There’s still more to be tried,” the voice answered. “Let go of what you’ve been forcing yourself through and you’ll find your way. I’m sure of it.”

Her fingers brushed those of the person reaching for her. They were rough and calloused, much like her own. “What do you mean?” She swallowed hard. “I don’t… I don’t know if I can do this.”

The smile was obvious in the response. “Yes you can. You’ll put your head down and push forward, just like you always have.”

“And if I fail?”

“Your friends won’t let you.”

“...I’m scared.”

Finally, hands connected and the familiar, unnamed figure pulled Amelia in for a tight hug. The embrace was comforting, but it felt... off. “I know. You always are.”

“How do you--” Before Amelia could finish the question, the shadowed figure pulled back and rested their hands on her shoulders. As the face was slowly revealed against the darkness, she gasped. This whole time, she’d been reaching for herself.

“You can do this, Amelia. Take the leap. When you fall, you have help waiting for you.” With a smile, the dream-Amelia stepped backwards into the darkness and faded away.

“Wait. Wait!”

-----

The rogue woke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat. She’d fallen asleep at her desk again, without drinking the tea from Viatorus. This was happening more and more frequently as she pressed harder into her magical studies. Not that it had helped. Every time she thought she was making progress, she was set back. No spell, no incantation, no ward had so much reacted to her incessant tries. She should have asked for help, but she didn’t know how to talk to Viatorus and she sure as hell wasn’t asking anyone else and letting them know she was failing.

With a sigh, Amelia looked out her window at the dusk covered sky and resigned herself to another night of research. After fixing her hair and washing her face, she grabbed one of her short candlestick holders before beginning a search for her box of matches. After a fruitless minute of searching, she grabbed her phone from a pouch on her hip with her free hand.

“Couldn’t have woken up a few minutes earlier?” she grumbled to herself. “If I just had a little more light, I could’ve--” She stopped short of turning the screen of her phone on for light when she realized she could suddenly see. And that her fingers holding the candlestick holder were... warm?

Slowly and with a shaking hand, Amelia raised the candle from her side to her face.

It was lit.

For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. She was dreaming. That had to be it. There was no way the candle had just... lit itself. She quickly put down the candle and snuffed it between her fingers before taking a step back. As she stared at where she knew the candle was in the growing darkness, nothing happened. Which was good. Because obviously she was dreaming and this was a sign that it would be best for her to go to sleep rather than continue her research for the night.

Somewhat reassured, she grabbed the holder again and held her phone aloft. Again, before she could press her thumb to the power button on the side of her phone, a light filled the room as the candle in her hand began to burn. Amelia nearly dropped her phone in surprise before turning her attention to the candle. She held it close to her face, felt the warmth of the flame on her cheeks, smelled the burning wick and melting wax. After placing her phone back in her pouch, she tested the pool of liquid wax forming at the base of the wick, cursing under her breath when it burned the tip of her finger.

And then... she laughed.

“I did it. Dreams, I did it!”

Setting the candle aside for a moment, she looked around in amazement, still laughing at the sheer unbelievability of this moment. She rushed over to her latest book of notes and grabbed a pen, scribbling excitedly about the development. As she rushed to get the words out, the metal pen grew hot in her hand and the paper began to smoke as the curved tip moved across its face. Suddenly, a small flame grew where she rested the pen for a moment too long.

“Whoa! Wait, no no no, don’t do that!” Discarding the pen quickly, she patted out the small flame with the palm of her hand and began checking to see what damage it had done. Only a small hole had formed in her notes - nothing that couldn’t be easily replicated in the future. It seemed the new power in her was looking for release, now that she’d opened the door for it. She had no idea how or why it had happened, but she didn’t care. She could figure all of that out later.

Or, rather, that night, as she no longer had any intention of going to sleep until this was settled.