NOTE - Due to 'Dark' having was more meanings than originally intended, I made a minor alteration to the terminology. 

To clarify: 

DIM = A Luminary drops their transformation and returns to their civilian identity.
DARK = A Luminary's bond with their Ascended is broken. They are no longer a Luminary.
CORRUPTED = Something is Other-touched. Ie, a 'Dark Fragment' is now a 'Corrupted Fragment'. 

Hopefully that helps clear things up. 

Happy reading! <3 

*+*+*+*

Olivia didn't think she'd ever been happier while on temple grounds, and that included both sides of her identity.

It was past lunch time by the time they arrived at temple grounds, her medical stuff now sorted and completely out of the way. For whatever reason, Jason treated her to lunch before they left for the temple, and Olivia wasn't complaining. With everyone else already going about their day's duties, they went by relatively unnoticed as Jason picked up their own assignment for the day. It wasn't anything special or exciting, and yet, Olivia found herself enjoying it.

She still couldn't believe the turnaround. The Jason Frostsong she'd come to know in the past two weeks would never have been caught dead crouched by a pond to feed the fish. Now inside temple grounds, his ridiculously formal way of speaking had returned and his posture rarely changed, but despite all that, he was actually talking to her.

Not just polite small talk, either, like most of the temple seemed to deal in. As they went about their work, they talked, and Olivia soon found Jason to be genuinely interesting. He actually listened to whatever she said, asked questions, and not only that--he was a goldmine of information about how the temple and other Luminaries worked.

It was still weird seeing Jason's friendlier side, but she found herself well adjusted to it by the time the end of the day drew near.

"Honestly, it was the funniest thing," said Olivia as she finished up her story. "Ericka's face was priceless. Not to mention I'm pretty sure Ariel had nightmares about it for the next month. I don't think she's forgiven me for it yet."

"I can imagine she might be more than a little mortified by the ordeal," said Jason, the slight curve of a smile resting on his mouth. "Did either of them ever attempt to even the odds afterwards?"

"Nah," said Olivia. "They know if they did that, I'd have to get them back again and I'm way more stubborn than they are. Well, except maybe Ariel, but she's more determined than stubborn." She sighed and leaned back in her chair. "I think my fingers are about to fall off. Why are we doing paperwork stuff anyway?"

"The Speakers often don't have enough time to complete these more menial tasks throughout the year," said Jason. "As such, they utilise the flood of volunteers they get during the Festival period to catch up and ensure everything is organised and up to date for the following year."

"Would you be doing this stuff if you hadn't been assigned as my guide?" asked Olivia. Seeing Jason finishing up with his half, she added, "I'm finished with my pile of paper, too. Is there more?"

"I may have been doing Luminary-specific paperwork, but it would still likely be paperwork," said Jason, picking up Olivia's pile. Like the previous day, he began to rifle through it to ensure she hadn't screwed it up--but only a few papers in, he stopped and stacked his own on top of hers. "We've completed our day's quota with that. Good work, Shadowheart."

"Thanks, Frostsong," said Olivia with a grin. She pushed in her chair as she stood up and grabbed her bag, trailing after Jason with his newly organised stack of paper. "So, with the paperwork, do you mean you'd be working on stuff for Cryo? What paperwork would he even have?"

"Most often, the paperwork is not specific to Cryo himself but rather subjects surrounding him," said Jason, inclining his head to a Speaker they passed in the corridor. "But I have assisted him in the past with organising Offering tasks and a few other things. Given that my mother requires my participation in temple activities, I have become quite familiar with him."

Olivia frowned. "Isn't that sort of dangerous for Cryo? Couldn't you figure out who he was if you had too many interactions with him?"

"It's likely I could figure him out if I wished," said Jason. "But I don't. I respect his secret, as everyone else in this city should. Those that actively seek out a Luminary's identity are condemned by the temple."

"What if you accidentally figured it out though?"

"Accidentally?"

"Like, I don't know," said Olivia, trying to come up with one of the millions of scenarios she'd imagined her alter ego stuck in. "What if he handed you a note on some paper, but you'd seen some other guy the right age writing on that same paper earlier in the day?"

Jason's familiar, amused smirk stretched over his mouth. "I believe Cryo may be more intelligent than to have personalised stationery."

Olivia nudged him. "You know what I mean, but fine. What if someone did want to figure Cryo out? How does the temple stop them?"

"Cryo is quite adept at covering his tracks," said Jason. "Considering the trust he's placed in me, I would rather not share the methods by which we protect him as best we can.

Olivia was curious. "And what about Banshee? Is she adept at covering her tracks too?"

The strangest expression crossed Jason's face, one Olivia could only put down to a mixture of exasperation, confusion, and awe.

"Banshee... well, I don't think she's made any requests as such of the temple since she became a Luminary," said Jason. "My mother is often perplexed by it. She can't decide whether Banshee is unaware of the systems we have in place, or she simply wishes to do everything herself. For whatever reason, it would make her incredibly hard to find her civilian identity."

Olivia couldn't help the satisfied smirk. Damn right it'd make her hard to track.

Jason raised an eyebrow at her. "How come you seem so pleased with that conclusion?"

Unable to wipe the smirk away, Olivia just shrugged. "I mean, seems like a good thing for me, right? If she's hard to track, she won't accidentally go Dark over some silly mistake. Don't you temple lot get all excited when your chosen Aspect is active?"

"I didn't think you'd be one to mind either way," said Jason, giving her a curious look. "You seem more than a little clueless on anything in relation to the temple."

"Trust me," said Olivia. "With Ericka as a friend, I'm an expert on the more practical side of Lumi things."

"Oh?"

"She's a little obsessed, especially with Banshee," said Olivia. "I get daily updates about Banshee's exploits. I could probably tell you about every fight Banshee's had in the past three months. Cryo too, by extension."

Jason considered that for a moment. "Ericka's the one who assisted you with the making of your competition outfit, is she not?"

"Yup."

"Do you think she'd be willing to assist with the costumes needed for the performance?" asked Jason. "The current seamstresses we have employed lack the vision my mother had hoped for. It would relieve a fair amount of the stress of organising it if someone with Ericka's vision could assist us."

"I could ask her," said Olivia. "On one condition, of course."

"Which would be?"

Olivia grinned. "I get to be Ericka's assistant."

"I feel like that's an extraordinarily dangerous thing to promise," said Jason. "But I accept. She'll be paid, and any materials she requires will be provided by the temple. If she could start tomorrow, it would be greatly appreciated."

"Consider it done," said Olivia, already pulling out her Liaiser.

She waited in the corner of the room as Jason went to the desk to hand in their organised paperwork and do whatever else he did.

[Riiiiiiiiiiiiikky, guess what you're doing tomorrow].

It didn't take long for Ericka's reply to come back.

[Why do I have the feeling that my plan of sitting in bed, eating chocolate and checking every few minutes for a Lumi to do something interesting is about to change?]

Before Olivia could reply, a second message from Ericka came through.

[STILL HAVEN'T GOT A HINT ABOUT HARPY OR WYVERN BY THE WAY. Wherever they went Dark, no one has anything on them. Been looking all morning, still nothing.]

Olivia frowned. She'd casually mentioned the whole Harpy and Wyvern going Dark thing to Ericka in the hopes Banshee might be able to find a lead. If Ericka hadn't found anything yet, that wasn't good. Despite Golem's reassurances, she couldn't help the feeling deep in her gut that something was wrong. Even if they were fine, Harpy and Wyvern had the aurorastone. They should have been doing something--not just waiting around for it to show up.

Olivia forced herself to exhale and get back into Olivia mode before she sent her reply to Ericka.

[Because you're coming to the temple tomorrow to help make costumes for this performance thingy and I'm going to be your assistant~! Temple covers your pay and materials and things. You can't say no either I already said yes for you <3]

[May the Other curse you, Liv, for making me actually get out of bed tomorrow.]

Olivia laughed at that one. [It's only like, every second day. You'll be fine.]

[Wait, isn't this thing on Festival night? You're telling me I have two and a bit weeks to make Skypillar knows how many costumes and I only have help every SECOND DAY?]

[Yup. Thought you liked challenges? And besides, Jason said Banshee and Cryo will be around a fair bit in the next few daaayyyys~]

[... Yea okay okay I know bribery when I see it. I'LL SEE YOU TOMORROWWW~]

"Do we have an answer yet?" asked Jason as he approached.

Olivia glanced up. "We do, she'll be here."

"Thank you for asking her, it's appreciated."

"Pfft, who said I asked her?" said Olivia with a grin.

Jason frowned. "I'd rather not have someone's forced involvement."

Olivia waved a hand. "She would have come anyway, it's cool. I just saved myself a good ten minutes of convincing her. She loves making stuff, especially when someone else is paying for it. She's just lazy."

"Ah, I see," said Jason. "Well, in that case, before we leave for the day, I have one last thing to do. Come with me."

Olivia couldn't help herself. "Isn't that forced involvement, Frostsong?"

He gave her a sideways glance, the barest hint of a smile resting on his lips. "I would ask, but you'd end up following me anyway, Shadowheart."

Jason started walking. Instead of replying, Olivia followed him in utter silence with her hands cupped at her ears

It took about twenty seconds before Jason cracked and asked.

"What are you doing?"

"Shh, I'm listening," said Olivia. "I think Skypillar might be about to fall over. Jason Frostsong just made a joke."

The withering look he gave her was enough to send her into a fit of giggles.

They walked to one of the easternmost temple buildings on the inner ring that Olivia had walked past a few times but never actually entered. Four guards stood at the single entrance to the door, which was a surprise. She'd never noticed more than one per doorway, two if it was the Starlight Hall.

Olivia stayed behind Jason as he approached the guards.

He held up an envelope sealed with Cryo's sigil. "I have a message to deliver for Cryophoenix. He asks that it is delivered personally."

One of the guards took the envelope and inspected it for a moment. "You may enter. Is the girl with you?"

"She is," said Jason. "I am her guide for as long as the Twin moons hang in the sky. She is my charge, and her actions are my responsibility."

The guard nodded and passed the envelope back. "You may proceed. Skypillar be with you."

"And you," said Jason, walking through the guards as they parted.

Olivia followed in silence, trying to work out exactly where they were.

The inside of the building was small and bare. Unlike the other temple buildings, this one had nothing adornings its walls. There were carvings in the golden starstone, but they looked flat when compared to the other artistic wonders the temple boasted. There was only one thing interesting about it, and that was the staircase in the centre of the room that descended into the floor, attended by two additional guards.

Jason inclined his head towards the guards as he passed. Olivia copied him, hoping not to look as nervous as she felt.

Together, they went down the stairs, which leveled out at the bottom in front of a heavy-looking starstone door.

Jason knocked three times. "Jason Frostsong and Olivia Shadowheart to deliver a message from Cryophoenix to Ella Spiritcaller."

Olivia barely stopped a surprised noise from escaping. Ella was here? She'd known that Ella was being taken to a secure location, but apparently she hadn't realised just how secure they'd meant.

The door opened, revealing a corridor a few metres wide with several doors and other corridors branching from it.

It wasn't what Olivia might have expected of an underground prison. There was no sounds of dripping water, no eerie silence. It didn't feel confined. Everything was still carved out of golden starstone, though it didn't seen as vibrant as that above ground. The sound of a few guards playing some card game came from one of the nearby rooms. It felt more like she was inside one of the windowless rooms above ground than a prison.

Olivia followed Jason around a few corners that were easily remembered towards the sound of the guards. Upon arriving, one of the guards stood up to greet Jason.

"Skypillar protect you," said Jason. "I'm here to deliver a message from Cryophoenix to Ella Spiritcaller. May I be granted an audience with her?"

The guard's expression became concerned, but he nodded. "You can try, but she's been relatively unresponsive since she was brought in. She hasn't shown the least bit of interest in food. The High Speakers are concerned, but even the once-High Spiritspeaker couldn't get more than a few words out of her."

"I see," said Jason. "Thank you for the information."

"You're welcome, for all it's worth. Follow me."

Olivia nudged Jason with her elbow as the guard walked on ahead of them.

"This is a prison?" she whispered.

"Not of the kind you may be familiar with," said Jason in a low, dignified voice. "It is only used when absolutely necessary, when powers beyond a regular person is involved and the golden starstone is needed to protect them. Placing Ella here is as much for her protection as it is for ours, given that the Serpent may be after her."

The guard led them to a nearby doorway well within sight of the main guard post. Another two guards sat outside the door, quietly discussing something that Olivia couldn't hear. They stood as Jason approached, but were quickly waved down.

"At ease," said the guard guiding them. A quick discussion later, the door was unlocked and the guard waved them through. "I'll be watching the whole time in case anything happens."

Jason entered first, and Olivia followed.

Ella's room wasn't bare like the rest of the place. There was a colourful rug on the floor. Clothes sat in neat, untouched piles. A cabinet that held a variety of books and other entertaining things was within easy reach of the comfortable looking bed. The small table with three chairs had been pushed to the side of the room, a plate of what looked like sandwiches resting, forgotten, on top.

Yet in the corner of the room, her back against the wall as she ignored it all, sat Ella.

She didn't look anything like she once had. Her dark, glossy hair was dull and frizzy, half falling out of her ponytail. Her clothes were new and clean, but from the haphazard way they seemed to be put on, Olivia doubted Ella would have noticed if she wore a potato sack.

"Ella Spiritcaller?" said Jason.

Ella didn't even look at him.

In his usual Jason-like way, he persisted. He approached Ella, kneeling in front of her and holding out Cryo's envelope.

"I have a message for you, from Cryophoenix. I apologise I was not able to get it to you earlier."

Ella at least responded to that. Her eyes trailed over to the envelope where she stared at it with little interest. Olivia thought that was all Ella would do when, with a resigned, sluggish motion, the once-Luminary lifted her hand just enough to take the envelope from Jason's hand.

Jason waited, still kneeling, as Ella took her time opening the envelope and unfolded the message inside.

Silence passed, one that completely tore Olivia's heart in two.

This wasn't the Ella that they'd fought against. The Ella that they'd chased through the streets and followed into the nest had a spirit to her. She was misguided by the Other's influence, but she had fight in her. She had an iron will, one that would stop at nothing to get what she wanted--Andrew.

And Olivia was starting to wonder if the real Ella had died with him.

Ella let Cryo's note fall from her hands where it hit the ground beside her. She drew her knees closer to her chest and placed her cheek on them, her eyes closed.

"You can tell Cryo that I don't remember anything about the Serpent, so I can't help," murmured Ella, the words half-muffled against her knees. "Now go away and leave me alone. Tell them all to leave me alone."

"We can't do that, Ella," said the guard in the doorway. "We're supposed to be protecting you. You can't just sit in the corner and starve yourself--"

"Like you care," muttered Ella. "Just get out. Leave me alone."

Jason leaned away the smallest fraction. "Is there truly nothing you can assist Cryo with?"

"Oh please," said Ella, lifting her head to look at Jason. For the briefest moment, there was a hint of the old Ella in her gaze but all too quick, it faded, and her chin went back on her knees. "Get out."

As Jason drew breath to reply, a flash of inspiration hit Olivia.

She folded her arms and shifted her weight back onto one leg "Told you she wasn't gonna talk to you when you were talking like that, Jason."

Jason gave her a look that said something like what-are-you-on-about as Olivia returned what she hoped was a superior i-told-you-so one and gave him a nonchalant shrug.

Olivia found Ella's dull but somewhat curious gaze lifted up towards her and felt her heart skip a beat.

She could screw herself over here. She couldn't say any of the things that were bursting out of her chest. She couldn't tell Ella how sorry she was, she couldn't tell her that Banshee needed her to fight, to stay strong, to not let the Other break her. They were Banshee's words--they weren't for Olivia.

But she couldn't leave this room without doing something.

Just like her, Andrew's death had left Ella shattered--but Ella didn't have her Cryo.

She didn't have anyone.

Olivia took a step closer but otherwise held her ground. "Seriously, I can't stand the way he talks either sometimes. Makes me wonder how any of them take themselves seriously when they sound like they're straight out of some bad white-knight story."

Ella stared at her for a few seconds that felt like an eternity before she spoke. "I guess. Never been my thing."

Olivia gave Jason a look. "See, Frostsong? Told you it wasn't just me complaining about it."

"Frostsong?" said Ella, narrowing her eyes at Jason. "Aren't you the High Speaker's kid."

"High Shadowspeaker," said Jason stiffly. "But yes, I am the son of Aurelia Shadowspeaker."

"Good," said Ella. "You can tell her to leave me alone too. She spent an hour in here today with the other High whatsit." Ella looked back at Olivia, the dead look still in her eyes. "Why are you here if you don't talk like one of them."

Olivia rolled her eyes. "His mum caught me in the Starlight Hall and didn't particularly care that I couldn't see where I was going at the time." She tapped the sides of her glasses. "Luckily the High Speaker--sorry High Shadowspeaker--took pity on the poor blind girl and stuck me with Jason for a month instead of down here with you."

Even as she was still talking, Olivia grabbed the sandwiches sitting on the table, nudged Jason out of the way, and sat herself down beside Ella in roughly the same position.

"I mean, between you and me," said Olivia, picking up one of the sandwiches. "I'm not really sure it was a whole lot of pity now I see my other alternative. Maybe I should just stay down here with you instead. At least you get food you don't have to pay for. Jason won't even buy me lunch."

With the rest of the room still in a stunned silence, Olivia took a small bite out of the sandwich she'd picked up.

"I mean, would you mind?" Olivia asked Ella between mouthfuls. "If I came back once or so a day? I think if I have to stay stuck with him," she said, gesturing to Jason with the half-eaten sandwich. "I might actually go insane. Starlight forbid I start talking like him too."

The dead look in Ella's eyes was gone, replaced by something that Olivia could only guess was utter confusion.

The vague, half-formed plan was working to perfection.

"Who are you even?" asked Ella.

"I'm Olivia," said Olivia, holding out the hand currently not containing the sandwich. "And I'm now your friend whether you like it or not. I refuse to spend the majority of my next two weeks talking to no one but temple people."

Ella didn't take her offered hand. Instead, her eyes kept flicking between Olivia's and the sandwich.

"Oh, uh," said Olivia, pressing her lips together. "I probably should have asked. We just kinda have a rule in my house. You leave it unattended and it's free game. Ask Jason, I stole his chips last week."

Considering last week's Jason probably would have death-stared her head off had she even jokingly mentioned such a thing, this week's Jason was much more clued in. He rolled his eyes with probably not entirely feigned disdain and moved away a few steps, like he couldn't be bothered listening to the story all over again.

"I said I was sorry, Frostsong!" said Olivia. She glanced back at Ella and shrugged. "What can you do? They were delicious and I was peckish. Sandwich is pretty good too, by the way. Want what's left?"

Ella frowned. "You've eaten most of it."

Olivia tossed the remains of the first sandwich back onto the plate and picked up the second untouched one. "Well, that one maybe, buuuut this one is still good as new!"

She waved the sandwich in front of Ella, who suddenly lost all the life she'd regained in the past few minutes.

Ella lowered her gaze back to the floor. "You can have it."

"I swear I didn't mean to eat it," said Olivia. "How about we go halfsies? I'd kinda feel super terrible if I ate your other sandwich too but I'm too hungry to do the polite thing and pretend I don't actually want it."

"Really, just eat--"

"Yes, really, I insist!" said Olivia. With a well-practiced skill born of laziness, Olivia managed to tear the sandwich and its contents straight down the middle, spilling a whole bunch of salad-y stuff everywhere. She stuck one half in front of Ella's face. "Here you go!"

"I don't--"

"Look," said Olivia. "My mum has one motto in life, and that's 'The day you stop eating is the day you're already dead'."

Olivia found Ella's gaze as it lifted once more, heavy and slow.

Olivia gave her a soft smile. "Are you already dead, Ella?"

Pain shot across Ella's face, an agony that Olivia felt lance straight through her own heart.

This wasn't an ex-Luminary. She wasn't even a Manifested or someone the Serpent might try to hunt down. She was someone who'd lost everything in one night and had no reason to keep going forward.

Olivia placed a hand on Ella's shoulder, holding the sandwich in front of her. "Because you don't quite look dead yet to me." She lowered her voice. "Fight. Don't let anyone or any Other-damned thing kill you before you've had a chance to tell them where to stick it."

Ella lifted her head.

Their eyes locked.

"What did you say your name was again?" asked Ella.

"Olivia."

"Olivia...?"

Olivia grinned. "Shadowheart. Nice to meet you."

One corner of Ella's mouth tweaked upward as she took the sandwich and took the biggest bite Olivia had ever seen.

"I think you're right, Shadowheart," said Ella in a soft, balanced voice. She took another bite, nodding slowly to herself. "I'm not dead. Not yet."

Ella's half-smile was gone, but in its place was a fragile resolve, one that Olivia knew wouldn't hold by itself for long. Not without help.

Olivia munched on her half of the sandwich, giving the guard and his awe-filled stare a meaningful look before giving Jason the slightest jerk of her head. By some miracle he understood and promptly walked over to the guard to pull him and his staring back into the corridor.

"So," said Olivia. "If you don't mind, I'll come back tomorrow with a snow cookie as a sorry-for-eating-your-sandwich type thing, yea?"

"One snow cookie for one and a half sandwiches?" said Ella. "I think I'm getting ripped off."

"Well then, I guess I'll just have to make it one and a half snow cookies, won't I?"

*+*+*+*

A/N - I mean I'm not saying that this is one of my favourite conversations that I've ever written buuuuut~ 

Next chapter: some actual plot. 

Can the extra long chapter get some extra votes? <3 

also I think I'm gonna run with the patreon idea, but since one of the tier rewards is 2+ chapters ahead of Wattpad, I won't be launching it until I have them ready to go ^_^ Probably mid-march, we'll see~