SAVING GRACE ✵ 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐆𝐄

𝟬𝟬. 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦

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𝗭𝗘𝗥𝗢     𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗚𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦

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WITH THE SETTING sun came a sky of fire.

The orange gold stretched far and wide, the colour of fire hearths and tangerines. The breeze hummed in quiet harmony, bringing with it the damp scent of oncoming night.

The young Cassandra Mason stood at the training grounds of the temple, clutching a book about abjuration magic close to her chest. Her eyes, deeply resembling the shallow waters of the ocean, were steady to the horizon, face aglow with the last orange rays before twilight beckoned the stars.

She finally understood why the golden hour was also called the magical hour. When the sun is close to the horizon on a sunny day, its light appears warmer and softer, bringing peace and happiness to anyone who saw it.

The girl then swung her restless gaze upon the temple, observing it. It had large windows and through them, light flowed through all seasons, gracing the air without favour.

There was a song in the walls of the temple that raised her spirits in this quiet moment, when the wind became still air and it sounded as if the world paused to take a moment to breathe. In those silent words, in the purity of its expression, Cassandra found her inner peace and realized that Kamar-Taj will always be her home.

"Your father has been looking for you since earlier, Cassandra."

The young girl snapped her head towards the source of the voice, grinning when she caught sight of the master of the temple, the Ancient One.

"I wanted to see the sunset here. It's so beautiful."

A moment of silence passed between them and the little girl's eyes flickered towards the ground. Recently, Cassandra heard from the Ancient One telling her parents that she was destined to be the guardian of the next Sorcerer Supreme and honestly, she was afraid. Although this news brought great joy to her parents for they felt it was an honor to be a companion of the Sorcerer Supreme, Cassandra quickly grasped the duty and the burden that came with it. What if she fails to fulfill it? What if she fails to protect the next mystical protector of Earth?

"Have you seen my future, Ancient One?" finally asked the little girl.

At this, she felt the presence of the Sorcerer Supreme beside her. "I've never seen your future, only its possibilities." answered she. "You have such great potential and capacity for goodness. In all your possible paths, there was always one thing certain about you."

"And that is?"

"You are destined for greatness."

Cassandra glanced at her teacher, lips pursed. Her nimble fingers reached out to tug at her pale, greyish robes, the color assigned to the Novices of the monastery. She was about to begin her training and the thought of it weighed heavily in her mind. Would she be able to endure it?

Really, the girl felt pressured. Her parents, Harry and Olivia Mason were two of the most devoted sorcerers of the Masters of the Mystic Arts. Her father was currently training to be the next guardian of the London Sanctum while her mother, Olivia, was one of the masters in Kamar-Taj. She felt like she wouldn't be able to live up to what was expected of her.

Now, Cassandra knew she had a choice. She could still reject the responsibility that will be given to her. Yet, whenever she thought about doing it, there was this gnawing feeling that would start to bother her. What if her purpose in this world was indeed to protect and be a voice of reason to the next Sorcerer Supreme? This question alone then pushed her to accept the task a few days ago.

"You are stronger, smarter, and more resilient than you think. You are capable of achieving far more than you believe, little one." told the woman. "But, it takes persistence. It takes determination. It takes facing your fears and doing that which is hard and necessary, instead of what is quick and easy..."

Courage began to spread through the girl as she listened, filling her with a sense of purpose. She still didn't understand why ever fate chose her, but it was best not to question things that were beyond her. She knew in time, she will understand.

"And you musn't be afraid to fail, Cassandra, for failure is another stepping stone to greatness."

The brunette knit her eyebrows in confusion. "B-but, how? You failed. How could that lead to greatness? Doesn't that mean you're a failure?"

"Failing doesn't mean you're a failure. It just means you haven't succeeded yet." explained the Ancient One, her lips curling into an enigmatic smile as if she knew something Cassandra didn't. "You will fail, Cassandra. You will fail to conjure a spell, you will fail to learn how to fight. But, will you all let this stop you from still learning?"

"No, I will not give up until I have mastered it."

"What if I tell you that you will, at one point, fail to protect my successor, will you let it stop you from keeping him safe? Will you then give up?"

The little girl resolutely shook her head. "No, I will still protect him with all my life. Whatever it takes... because that's the job."

"Very well. In time, you will understand what I all mean by this."

"I really doubt that I am the right person for this, Ancient One."

"Ah," expressed the fair woman. "What do we say when the voice of doubt comes in?"

Cassandra smiled, chuckling. "Not today, dubs."

The Ancient One gave her endearing smile, one that was full of encouragement. That was one of the most amazing things about the Ancient One. She always seemed to know what one needed to hear at the exact moment. To be quite honest, the woman beside her had become not only her teacher, but also like a second parent. The Ancient One had been present ever since her birth and always watched over her when her parents weren't around.

"Now, go to your father. He is waiting for you in the New York Sanctum. Your training will start tomorrow."

The little girl meekly nodded after she released a sigh that seemed to have lifted the heavy burden in her chest. Looking back to the the glowing sun, a crisp circle in the bloody sky, Cassandra held her chin high. She will not let her fears and doubts take over her mind. Fate wouldn't have chosen her if she wasn't fit for the job.

One day, I will look again at this setting sun and say, I have completed my task. She said to herself.

"Dark times lie ahead of us and we must prepare ourselves for them." grimly claimed her teacher. "You will be ready for everything that comes in your way, Cassandra. Everything."

And so began the long and arduous preparation of the destined guardian of the next mystical defender of Earth.