Already into her second month at Radiance, Emery found herself watching the changing colors of the leaves outside Vale’s classroom. The extra lessons with her fellow Amaranths worked wonders for her magical competency; developing a reliable sixth sense. However, something still gnawed at her core about the orchard and its ornery inhabitant. The pull of still born dreams into restless nights hounded her weekly. As it was nothing more than a feeling, Emery found it difficult to talk with anyone about her odd sensations. 

Vale began his lecture like a director leading his actors up on stage. "I'm not a big fan of rhetorical questions but do any of you happen to know the leading problem most young mages have when learning magic later in life?"

The teens looked to one another and shrugged. "Beats us, Vale." Raven yelled back down from the platform where the four students awaited instruction. 

"Control." Their professor told them. "Whether it's having too much or not enough, your level of control will determine the quality of your magic." 

Vale summoned a rock from off his desk. "Dane, catch this rock before it lands back in my hand."

The curly-haired professor hiked the rock up into the air, inches from the classroom ceiling. As it fell back down, Dane extended his hand outward. The rock staggered here and there, its momentum only interrupted for a second or two before it ended up back in Vale's grasp.         

Dane lowered his hand in defeat, his head down to avoid eye contact.

"Don't beat yourself up, Dane. I could tell you were holding back." Vale placed the rock on a nearby chair. "Emery, kindly push the rock off the chair, please."

Stepping forward, Emery copied Dane's hand movement. Focusing tightly, Emery closed her fingers into a fist. A moment later, the chair was flung against the far wall with the rock lost somewhere in what remained of the shattered chair.           

Emery covered her mouth with both hands. "I'm sorry!"

"No worries, Emery." Vale waved his hand over the broken chair and the children watched it pull itself together in reverse; like nothing happened. "Wouldn't be a good school if you couldn't make a few mistakes."

"How do we learn to control it then?" Alice asked, impatiently waiting for the lesson to start. 

Vale raised his eyebrows as he shook the hair away from his eyesight. The professor walked toward the stage, his feet sticking to the side of the raised platform. Without missing a beat, he walked up the wall with his hands in his pockets. He arrived at their level and was right side up again. "You have to learn to balance the magic inside you before you control what comes out." He produced three crystal eggs from his pockets. 

"Familiar eggs..." Alice murmured to herself.

"Good eye, Alice." Vale told her as he floated each egg through the air until each of the first-year girls had one hanging in front of them. “Familiars, as you may know, are helper spirits born from mages. Actualizing your own is the first step towards understanding your potential as a mage.”

"So, getting familiars will give us better control?" Emery wondered out loud.       

"Every mage has the potential to make a familiar, but only one in their lifetime. Your familiar will be a focus for your magic; a living expression of your will." Their professor stopped in his tracks, facing his students with his back to the air. "For your first lesson in control, you will focus your magic into these eggs. By the end of your first year, your familiar might be born.”

"The end of the year?" Alice's voice boomed.

"Might be born, I said." Vale corrected. "It could happen tomorrow, next month, or after you graduate. I got mine in my third year; everyone's different. Seeing as how Dane recently obtained his, he is exempt from this lesson and will instead meditate alongside you three to find harmony with his own. Getting your familiar is only a first step, after all."  

"Right," Raven said as she stared her egg down. "What do we have to do?"           

"For now?” Vale paused. "Just touch your egg."

The eggs drifted into such positions that each student could no longer see each other in their periphery. Vale stood at center stage, whispering words of meditative encouragement.

"Remember, the egg is just a container. The essence of your familiar is already inside you, waiting to take shape." Vale explained. "Use the egg to focus your energy... Just enough to recognize your reflection in it."

Emery stretched out her hand, careful to not exert too much magic like she had done with the chair. The egg was no bigger than her hand and could be crushed in a second. Emery grew more nervous with every closing moment. For as much as she wanted to control her gifts, deep down, Emery was afraid of what might unlock. She closed her eyes to block out the doubts and grasp the egg.

Then came a voice, deep and ominous in the pit of her soul. 

Lamb...