Incandescent

Chapter 3

"Are you sure there isn't another way to get to my room?" Astrid stared at the pedestal anxiously. She saw people stand on them and just vanish into thin air. Or enter from thin air. Astrid was terrified to do the same.

"Well yes, but it's a good few mile walk to your room if you don't use the Pedestal," Brooklyn said casually.

"A few miles?! How big is this place?"

Brooklyn shrugged. "Pretty big. We have to house a lot of Beholders and have special areas for them to train with their abilities. This is the only place on the east coast to offer such a safe haven."

Astrid gritted her teeth and she and Brooklyn stepped on Pedestal 5 together. Astrid shut her eyes, heard a futuristic-like, alarming buzz, and opened her eyes to see a completely different room.

To her right, was a grand wooden door that was shut. To the left of the door was a huge fireplace with a couch sitting in front of it. Further into the room were a few trees with a rope bridge dangling in between them. Below the bridge was a water fountain and a few more doors that were also closed. Other chairs were behind the couch, including a huge green rug that covered up the hardwood floor.

"What do you think?" Brooklyn asked, a smile painted on her face.

Astrid was at a loss for words. She was in awe at the beauty of this room. "It's, it's amazing! I've never seen a room like it! It's like we are outside and inside at the same time."

"I would be surprised if you had seen a room like it, actually. It's the only room in the entire Necromancy Manor that looks like it. Welcome to the Level 5 lounge." Brooklyn finally stepped off the Pedestal and Astrid followed, figuring it was safe to do so now.

"I can't show you around here, though. It isn't my lounge. But I'm sure Tito or the others that live here could." Brooklyn looked to the back at the rooms, where a guy was emerging from the door to the far left. "Ah! Here's Tito now. TITO! CAN YOU COME HERE?"

The boy yelled back. "SURE THING, BROOK," and started to walk faster towards Astrid and Brooklyn. As he got closer, Astrid could see his hair was as black as night, with a set of eyes to match. He must have been training or working out, because his gray shirt was balled up in his hand as he wiped sweat off his face with it. He was tall and muscular — as Astrid could tell from seeing him without a shirt on — and he smiled at her.

"So, you must be the new Beholder, right?" Tito asked her.

Astrid tried not the smile back or even give the impression that she thought he looked nice. "Yeah. What's it to you?"

Tito's eyes widened. "Fiesty are we? You'll fit in fine here, I suppose. I'm Titan Calderwood, but everyone just calls me Tito." He held out his hand for her to shake. "And you are...?"

"Astrid Kay." She held out her hand and they both shook.

"Wait. THE Astrid Kay? Julius and Emma Kay's daughter?"

"The one and only," Brooklyn said with a smirk. "I told her you could show her around the Level 5 lounge and maybe Hayden could show her the girl's dorm?"

Tito nodded. "Sure thing. Just let me get changed and I'll be right back." He sprinted away without another word.

Astrid was content with looking around the room in silence, but Brooklyn wanted to talk more. "So, do you have a boyfriend?"

"Excuse me?" What kind of question was that? To ask a person she just met such a question? Astrid thought it was a little personal. Also, should she lie about it? She could say Alfred was her boyfriend, but hey, might as well just tell the truth.