I stayed cooped up in my room for the rest of the day to calm down. 

     To be perfectly honest, I regretted yelling at Aliki. I knew what I said was uncalled for. I sat up in bed, sighing. 

     Ten steps. That's all it would take to leave this room. Leave this room, and apologize to Aliki.

     One.

     But did I really want to apologize to her? She kept me here on a promise.

     Two.

     Promises are meant to be kept, but easily broken.

     Five. 

     Halfway there. The promise was made when my parents were still alive.

     Six.

     Aliki practically raised me.

     Seven.

     I can't let her down.

     Eight.

     But she let me down.

     Nine.

     I stopped in front of the door. My hand hovered over the doorknob, a simple motion would allow me to leave this room. But did I really want to?

     Soft footsteps and a knock at my door. Aliki. She stood in front of the door and was only two footsteps away. 

     "Listen, Yuka. I know you're mad.." she started. 

     I tensed, beginning to lower my hand. 

     "And I know, I messed up. I lied to you for years and.. I'm sorry." 

     I stared at the door. "Yuka?" Aliki said, knocking again.

     Master Aliki has never, ever admitted being wrong in her life.

     How long has she been beating herself up about this? Probably the same amount of time I have.

     The door creaked open. "Yuk-" the witch started, before we both tumbled to the ground. 

     "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said all that, I'm so sorry.." I sobbed, hugging her tightly.

     Aliki patted me on the back, shaking her head. "You haven't changed kid. Even since you were little, it was the small arguments like these that got you cryin'." She said gently.

     She doesn't miss a beat. "I take it back you're horrible." I joked, wiping away my tears on her cloak. 

     "Don't go sobbing on my cloak boy! This is vintage!"

     Theo

    The pain gradually faded as the day dragged on. Ebony was beginning to visit me more frequently.

     Verse sat at my side, apparently trying to cleanse my aura. I didn't buy it.

     I sat up, however, when they tried to leave the cell. "It won't work." I warned them. 

     Verse glared at me and returned to the lock. "If you are stuck in here, who knows what kind of trouble Ebony will get you into." They replied.

     Fair point.

     I would stand and help her, if my feet weren't chained to the ground as well. A new addition after Ebony had received a swift kick in the shins after trying (and failing) to touch my hair. 

     No one touches my hair. 

     A loud smashing noise broke me out of my thoughts. 

     "What did you do??" I asked, staring at Verse. They held the entire lock in one misty hand. 

     "..I guess I overpowered it?" The spirit replied, hesitantly. 

     They pulled open the door.

     "...I GUESS OVERPOWERED IT!" They exclaimed, putting their hands up in victory.

     I stared at the golden light that was pouring through the now un-locked (pun intended) entrance. "Could you do me a favor and overpower these shackles? I can't exactly jump up and skip to freedom yknow." I said bluntly.

     "Oh, yeah." Verse said sheepishly, walking over.

     It felt nice to finally get out of those shackles. Really nice. 

     A slight limp and a sore arm didn't bother me much. 

     Okay I lied it hurts like a bitch. 

     I looked around and over the edge of the ridiculously small floating island. A few trees, some plants... most of it was occupied by my personal prison. 

     If I hadn't been tortured and kept against my will in there, I would have felt special to have an island to myself.

     But I had been. 

     Verse led me to the docking area. 

     Except there was no dock, nor airship to be found. Instead, a steep staircase with a base of oxygen. 

    Literally, there was nothing underneath the steps but a bunch of floating pieces of earth and gravel, held together with nothing but gravity.

     And gravity was a magic within itself.

     "You'll have to stay in mortal form for a bit longer, Theo." Verse said, motioning to the steps.

     I hopped from step to step, footsteps echoing in the silent afternoon.

     "What happens now?" I asked Verse, who floated alongside me. 

     They thought about that. "We wait in the forest near the Choosing. No doubt Ebony and his followers will be searching high and low for you. While you, on the other hand, will be in the middle."  Verse replied finally. 

     I nodded. "Soo... will I be able to loose this form when I'm done? And get some new clothes because these rags are not it." I asked, motioning to the ripped and dirty tunic and pants I was wearing.

     "I'll lend you some of my old ones from the crypt." Verse said.

     Yeah, I don't want to be wearing those clothes for too long. 

     Hopefully my new mage will have some decent clothes I can permanently borrow.