Evabelle sat in one of the many window seats of the library, surrounded by many of her favorite books.  Sometimes this was the only way she could cope with anxiety.  At that moment, however, they seemed to be making things worse.  The books lay open at random pages, but she wasn't looking at any of them.  Her head was in her hands, her knees curled up to her chest.

"What kind of heroine am I?"  Her voice shook.  "I'm not one at all, really.  I could never be in Gryffindor or Dauntless.  Heroes are brave."

"What would you be then?"

Evabelle's head snapped up, just as Lucis stepped out from behind a bookcase.  "Oh, Lucis, It's nothing, nothing important." Evabelle put her legs down to hang over the bench and stared at her feet.

Lucis picked up one of the open books and sat beside her.  "What kind of heroine are you, then?"

Evabelle glanced up at the book in Lucis's hands; Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.  She shook her head.  "If I were ever sorted into a house at Hogwarts or to choose a faction, the only ones I would be good for would be Hufflepuff or Amity.

Lucis gazed at Evabelle.  "What's wrong with being kind and wanting peace?"

Evabelle blinked; surprised that he knew what she was talking about.  "You really have read a lot of books haven't you?"

Lucis smiled.  "I told you I've read both human and Anahalian literature."

"You know we've already had this discussion on bravery."

"Yes, and we will continue to have it until it needs be."

Evabelle sighed and turned away from him.  "Did you hear about what happened today, in the training room?"

"I heard that you ran out and nobody's quite sure why.  Calandra said something about putting one of her famous illusionist spells on you three, and also she mentioned something about a fovodroga so that you would see someone you feared, or some sort of enemy."  Lucis replied.

Evabelle felt her hands shaking again.  "I didn't see an enemy.  I saw Kai."  She whispered.

Lucis was quiet for a moment.  Evabelle knew that he had heard her.

"A vampire is a terrifying thing."  He said.  "It is rumored that they were one of the beings used to create an Annihilator."  He paused for a moment and looked at her.  "But you seeing him, I don't think has anything to do with Kai as a person, but with you.  Your guilt.  You may be afraid of him, but I am going to tell you this now that there are many different kinds of fear and different ways of reacting to them.  You just need to choose the right one."

"What's the right one?"  Evabelle exclaimed.  "What's the right way to react to my fears?  I'm a coward!  Everything terrifies me, Lucis, and I hate it!"  She felt the sting behind her eyes again.

It was slow and deliberate, the way Lucis took her hand and held it within both of his.  "You have a chance to be the bravest of us all Evabelle, because you are scared.  It's the times when we are most afraid that we get the chance to show the most courage.  When our hearts are beating out of our chests and we feel as though we cannot move, that is the moment where we must choose what action we are going to take.  Fight or flight is a choice and one only you can make."

Evabelle squeezed his hand taking comfort in their warmth and security that lay within his fingers, but did he really believe that she could just choose to be brave.  Bravery was an attribute, something that was already there.  It wasn't made over time, not really.

Lucis rose to his feet with her hand still in his.  "Come on, I think it is time we start your magic lessons."

Evabelle blinked up at him.  "Right now?"

"Why not?"

"You just got back and... well..."  She trailed off.

"I've had my rest.  And I think it's time you see what you will be able to do."

***

Lucis brought her to the piano room.  He closed the drapes, making the room dark.

Evabelle felt nervous again.  "Why does everything have to be done in the dark?"  She wrapped her arms around herself as Lucis plucked one of his snowy feathers. 

He smiled at her.  "Because light is more noticeable in the dark.  Also fear is often associated with darkness, so this is a simple spell.  This is the same spell I used in the mirror room."  He held up the white feather.  "Before we begin, however, could you tell me what this is?  I know you have been studying up on us." 

Evabelle swallowed.  "It's a munera."  She said slowly.  "Each Anahalian has seven of them.  They grow back three days after they've been plucked.  Not all Anahalian feathers hold angelic power, just the muneras.  You have to be careful not to use them all at once, because it can be damaging.  It makes you weaker the more you use."

"You sound like you've swallowed the textbook."  Lucis laughed.  "But yes that is precisely what this is."

Evabelle bit her lip.  "So you only get seven spells.  That doesn't seem fair.  Calandra doesn't have limits like that."

Lucis shook his head.  "Everyone has limits.  Mages have power over things non-living, but anything living or once living is completely out of their power.  God gave us limits to humble us.  To be all powerful is what God is.  And we must work to be where he is." 

Evabelle thought for a moment.  "That's why Del didn't want you to heal me back at the bell tower.  He wanted to do it, because you were already hurt and you had used quite a few of your munera."

Lucis nodded.  "Yes, also it was the healing spell.  The healing spell is a transfer of energy from one to another.  It doesn't just heal.  It takes my power and strength and gives it to you." 

"Wow, that actually kind of makes sense.  That's why the feathers changed color, because the power starts as yours, but then adjusts to them."  Evabelle blinked in surprise.  Suddenly the memory of what Aza had said came to her.  The feather, it... it turned gold.

"Alright, now I wanted to show you this spell again for several reasons."  Said Lucis as he paced around the room.  Evabelle watched him curiously, as he broke the feather into smaller pieces and dropped them onto the floor.  "One because it is simple and easy, second because it is useful, and third because," He paused and smiled at Evabelle, dropping the last fragment of feather to the floor.  "Lucis," his voice came out thick as honey, a warm resonance reverberated in his voice as he said the word. 

The feather fragments instantly came to life.  A white glow emanated from each one as they rose from the ground and hovered around Evabelle as though she were standing in a room full of stars.  Her mouth dropped.  She caught sight of Lucis again, who nodded.  "I find it to be rather beautiful." 

Evabelle couldn't help herself.  She beamed at him.  Lucis had a knack for making her do that.  She reached out and touched one of those feather pieces.  I was heavenly soft.  She closed her hands around it, looking at it.  It was as though she held her very own star.

"Now," said Lucis weaving around the glowing segments of munera, he made it to Evabelle.  "If you're ever afraid," he held out another one of his delicate feathers to her.  "All you have to do is call my name."

She accepted the feather and surprised herself by saying.  "I'm glad you're back, Lucis."  

AZA

Aza stared at the ceiling with her arms behind her head.  The events in the training room had left her feeling sick and shaky, but she would never tell the others that.  That pale mask had melted away, revealing someone she had known to be dead for more than eight years.  She had completely frozen up at the sight of him, allowing her to be easily defeated; that made her angry, but that face... Aza shook her head.  No, he's dead!  I saw—  She felt the vomit rise in her throat.  She dashed into the small bathroom attached to her room and clung to the edges of the sink.  After breathing heavily for a moment with no up-chuck, she looked up at her reflection in the mirror.

It had been so long since those images had popped up in her head.  The memories were always there, but over time she had managed to shove them farther down.  She filled a cup with water, swished it around in her mouth, and leaned her head back to gargle it for a moment before spitting it back into the sink.  There was no way that she was going to let them ruin her now. 

There was one person who had saved her from her torment.  A little brunet had walked over to the blonde brat in the corner, who had scared off all the other children, and had offered a hand.  Do you want to play? It had been Evabelle who had been the one to reach out.  Even when Aza had told her to buzz off, at that point she had given up on friends, Evabelle didn't give up.  She had sat by her and had built a little space ship from the lego pieces then offered it to Aza. 

Evabelle had always been shy, even then she was quiet and rather timid, but it showed that she couldn't just let another little girl sit alone.  Evabelle didn't see her strength, but Aza did.  It was that compassion that made Aza cling to Evabelle.  She lived with an uncle that never showed an inkling of attention to her.  Every other friend had given up on Aza when she was in one of her moods, but Evabelle hadn't.  Even when Aza was foul and so upset that she didn't make sense, Evabelle had stayed.  Aza needed her.

Currently, however, Evabelle had her own problems to deal with.  Aza had watched her friend run from the training room, a total mess.  Aza had tried to talk to her at dinner about it, but she had been reluctant to say anything about what had happened.  Aza had a feeling that it was still something to do with Kai.  Evabelle wouldn't be able to move on until straightened it out with him, but that was Evabelle's choice to make and Aza couldn't force her friend to do anything.

Aza left the bathroom, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, and paused in the room.  She glanced down at herself.  All she was wearing was a tank-top and the sweats from the fear test.  She figured she could change into her pajamas and go to bed, but she wasn't tired and she knew tonight she wouldn't be able to sleep, at least not here. 

Aza slid out of the room and out into the darkened hall way.  The piano player hadn't started playing that evening, she noted, as she padded down toward the stairs.  She wasn't really sure what she was planning on doing.  There were still plenty of rooms in need of exploring, so maybe she could...

Muffled voices met Aza's ears... could always go and eavesdrop.  Naturally, she followed the clouded noises to the room they were emanating from.   

"Do we really expect to win?"  Tru was saying.  "Our oracle tells us that she is the answer.   Just bring her back home and she will bring forth the cure of our woes.  Those were more or less the exact words right there.  But there wasn't much more.  With her royal light thus bringing us hope again.  I mean, really?  It sounds like a bunch of gibberish.  It probably is."

Lucis did not sound particularly happy about what Tru was saying for he spoke next.  "An oracle is a rare gift from God to bestow on one of us.  It is a powerful and sacred job, but it is taxing on the body and mind.  Do not think that he would just waste that power and taint it by telling us lies."

Tru let out a hiss of annoyance.  "Lucis you."  She paused and scoffed suddenly.  "You said it, yourself.  It is taxing to the body and the mind.  How do we not know he is losing his sanity, it would make sense.  Or perhaps he never had it.  After all, a darkness of the mind does tend to run in the family."

"Tru!"  Faux's voice snapped out of nowhere. 

"Shut up, Faux."  Tru quipped at her cousin.  "It's the truth and don't deny it, no one in this room can deny the indisputable demonic hold it has on the family.  I mean, the prophecy says when our princess's feathers blaze in their heavenly glory our home shall have restoration.  One problem, our princess, is a complete and utter lump."

Aza, from outside the door, tensed.  She had been listening with mixed feelings of curiosity and annoyance Tru who was obviously being rude to Lucis as usual, but when she heard Tru directly insult her best friend, that was worse than if she were saying it to Aza. 

"She is not useful in the slightest."  Tru continued. 

Lucis took a deeply exaggerated breath.  "You speak of her as she is an object, not a person."

Tru laughed.  "Well she's a pathetic person to say the least."  Aza balled her hands into fists.  "I've heard everything from the moment you first got her from the alley in New York, to the bell tower, and now here.  She did nothing to help in the bell tower, but made things more complicated.  Here, she doesn't want to hurt anyone or anything so she barely even tries during training.  The only time she shows any signs that she can fight is when she is terrified out of her mind that she just strikes out at random.  It's just downright pitiful.  That's not a warrior, a leader, or a princess.  I don't know what humans teach their children what royals are meant to do, but obviously she got some wrong advice."

"I don't know what humans teach either," Aza was surprised to hear Kai's voice.  "But I don't think that's the issue.  I barely know the girl, but I can see that she wants to be good and help, but she just doesn't know how."

"She doesn't know how?"  Tru scoffed.  "Kai, you're one of the people that that princess has struck out at, yet you can actually support her?"

"I'm not sure how you can talk, when you don't really care for me either."  Kai said rather coldly.

"Hmm," said Tru.  "I can't argue with that."

What was with this harsh Anahalian girl?  Aza thought.  She was so rude and inconsiderate.  Was there anyone she actually cared about?  Because she had more or less insulted everyone in the Sanctuary.  And even though Tru had not insulted Aza directly, she really didn't like her, especially when she bad-mouthed her best friend.

"Evabelle is supposed to be our salvation all I see is a pitiful little whiner.  I often wonder if that girl has done anything useful in her life at all."

Something snapped.  Aza didn't remember pushing the doors open, but in a matter of seconds she found herself in the middle of the room with the doors rattling violently as they slammed into the opposite walls.  Her eyes quickly passed over Kai, leaning on the arm of a cushy armchair where Faux sat upside down, with his hair sweeping the floor and his feet sticking up over the head of the chair.  And over Calandra who was seated cross legged on the window sill, and Lucis, who stood by her, right over to the blue Anahalian in the center of the room. 

Aza marched right up to Tru, her ears roaring with fury.  "Evabelle is amazing!"  Was the first thing that burst from her mouth.  Following that came a lot of spewed gibberish as she ranted on this insulting fiend.  "You know absolutely nothing about her!  Yes, she's shy, yes she's not the person who just runs into a fight, that's me, but she's better than a stupid warrior.  She loves and longs for goodness.  Kai said it, she wants to be better!  You have no idea how badly she wants to be the hero that you expect her to be!"

The initial shock of Aza's sudden outburst had left Tru staring, but she was recovering now.  "If she wants to be it so badly, why doesn't she try?"

Aza shook her head in frustration.  "She doesn't feel worthy or something.  I don't know!"  She hated saying it, but it was true.  She didn't know why Evabelle was the way she was.  Evabelle blamed herself so harshly for every mistake she made, that it tore her apart, and those times were just so infuriating, because Aza could do nothing to help her friend.

"Some friend you are."  Tru shook her head.  "Every single one of you, is just so useless."

Aza jumped at her, ready to hit that sharp, cold face until all those jutting bones were nothing, but shattered fragments.  Arms wrapped around Aza from behind.  She struggled and twisted, trying to get away from her captor.  "Aza," it was Kai.  "Aza calm down."

"No!"  Aza yelled.  "She just needs to stop!  Stop! STOP!"

Tru, being surprised by Aza's impulsive hostility, had taken a step back.  She glared at Aza.  "I wonder how many have lost their minds."

Aza struggled harder, but Kai's grip was like iron.  "Go, Aza."  Kai whispered in her ear.  "You need air.  Just go, get out."

Aza's struggling subsided and cautiously Kai loosened his grip.  She shoved away from him, but did not try to attack Tru.  Instead she turned on her heel and stormed from the room.  Out in the entry, Aza leaned back against the wall.  Her fists slammed into the wall behind her as she seethed.  She felt fire burning through her blood and she knew if there was a mirror her face would be as red as a tomato.  That's what happened when she got angry. 

Aza threw herself off the wall and stalked for the front door.  Kai was right.  She needed air.

~(A/N: Alright I have a little challenge for you all! So I want you all to give me one word for each character that you feel encompasses them pretty well. Now you can't use the same word for two different people like saying Evabelle: kind, and Lucis: kind. Use different words. We're all writers or lovers of words, so be creative!! :D )~