Crois woke up suddenly, from what she couldn't say. Looking around her room, she could tell that it was still night, for the lights had gone out. Remembering her promise to Khala, Crois got out of the bed and left. She tried locking the door, but she couldn't find her key. Puzzled, Crois walked into the hallway. No one was around. Not only that, but none of the lights were on, though the hallway seemed to be lit by some unknown source. Crois walked down the hallway, the echo of her footsteps were both muted and distorted. Crois felt uneasy, as she swept her scarf around her face, her eyes hovering above the white cloth. Her hand lay easily on the butt of her flintlock pistol, but she didn't pull it out yet, not without reason.

      Crois started off to the area she promised Khala she see her; the squirrel hole. The squirrel hole was a place invented by the Acolytes to escape Teachers, stay up late, and be themselves for a moment. It was an old dumbwaiter, where a few bricks were missing from one level to another. It wasn't easy to see unless you took the dumbwaiter down. Thus its' success for Acolytes to escape for an hour or two.

      Crois went through the old kitchen to the dumbwaiter that wasn't in use anymore. Opening the old wooden door, Crois peered around the kitchen. Normally there was at least a person or two here, but the kitchen was empty. Again, no light on, but there was light coming from somewhere. Getting on the dumbwaiter, Crois lowered herself to the small-loosened bricks, and squeezed into the small hole.

      The squirrel hole was a small alcove above the Garden inside the Temple. Trees diminished the view from the ground, so chances of discovery were low, and it made a pretty view for anyone looking out from the squirrel hole. It was here that Crois now stood, by herself, looking out at the Garden. Crois had never been fond of horticulture, but she noticed something was wrong with the trees. The whole time since she had been awake, Crois had noticed a lot of odd things. Blurs, tall but hard to distinguish, had sparsely populated the Temple. No lights burned from the lanterns, but light somehow showed. A strange wind seemed to come and go, though no breeze had ever been present in the Temple before. Sometimes there would be objects that were normally in the Temple there, and then at next glance, were missing. It was the blurs that disturbed Crois the most. Especially since there was one at the squirrel hole, larger than her in height.

      Crois' hand went to the symbol on her neck, for reassurance. Her fingers felt the symbol; its' silver familiar in her hand. Its position was not. Though Crois couldn't be sure, it seemed that the symbol was slightly canted to the right. Rubbing the symbol, she tried to see if she could return it to its' original position. With a small click, it went back into place, and Crois' whole world went snap.

      Crois found herself in front of Khala, in the squirrel hole, with her. Both girls almost let out a shriek in surprise.

      "Crois, how did you get here?" Khala said, still trying to recover from her surprise.

      "I came down the dumbwaiter, just like everyone else. You told me to come here." Crois noticed all the strange things that were once there had either gone or disappeared. Lights flickered. No breeze. The blur had even vanished, Khala stood in its' place. Crois felt uneasy about the whole experience. Had it been a dream, or more?

      "Well, no matter, Crois, you are here now, despite your scare tactics." Khala said with an easy smile, her golden skin almost glowing in the torchlight. The tall woman wrapped her arms around Crois, holding her tight. "I'm so proud of you, Crois, now you're a Sister. I'm going to miss you."

      "Don't worry, I know you'll be Named soon as well, Khala. We'll travel together, and have great adventures. You'll see." Crois reassured her friend. Together, they left the squirrel hole, going up the dumbwaiter one at a time, to the old kitchen. There was an old servant cleaning out some cabinets, So Crois and Khala snuck past the old woman, sure that she didn't hear the two.

      The night was getting old while the two young women walked the halls, Crois seeing that they were heading back to the Acolyte's Hall. Crois still felt tired, knowing that tomorrow would be a big day for her.

      "What will happen to you now?" Khala asked, seeing the look on her friend's face.

      "I'm not sure, Khala." Crois answered truthfully. She had heard of adventures by the Maidens of the Silver her whole life, but as to regular day-to-day duties? Crois found herself not quite sure. She knew there was administrative work, as well as traveling work, and missions as well. What would she be tasked to do, Crois wondered to herself. "Whatever it is, I'll be sure to see you before I leave."

      "I would like that." Khala said with a smile, at the steps of the Acolyte's Hall. The tall woman started down the stairs, waving at Crois before the new Sister left her sight.*

06/06/2006

Author's Note: Chapter 06

*This is where I stopped off before JRTC. Restarted around 01Apr05

Posted on 06/05/2006
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