After that night, Tia followed me to my nightly magic show.
She mainly stayed quiet as usual. However, she seemed to be enjoying herself. Like a friend who is just happy to be by another person, they can spend time with, which hasn’t stopped her from following me around the manor.
Safe to say, she seems to be happier. Not like I mind her presence; she doesn’t disturb my daily routine of research and developing my strategic mind.
“Aren’t you lonely?” Tia asks after a few nights of watching me.
I look at her with a blank stare before answering honestly.
“Define lonely.” A heavy sigh leaves my lungs.
“You look lonely. I know you never speak with your siblings or anyone outside those two girls.” Cocking her head to the side, she stares with gentle intent. Positioning myself at the back of a tree, I face her.
“You should know that being by me isn’t good for your reputation; it might even cause you pain,” I say sternly.
“Back home, I was looked down upon as a strange child. My older brothers never played with me since they were busy with their own things. I was not ready to be social with anyone, including them. But my father never stopped caring for me. After my mother passed away shortly after having me, I was babied by my father a lot.” Tia looks at the sky before lying on her back, her hands spread wide.
“I’ll ask you again. Are you lonely?” Tia huffs a little, wanting an answer.
“If you are going by that, then no, I don’t think I felt lonely. Just accepting of my position and status. Knowing that the color of my hair means my life will never be easy became a normal occurrence in my approach with others.” Rubbing my numbed arm, I look at the sky along with her.
“Are you going to push yourself this time again?” She sounds a little worried and concerned in her tone. Turning toward you, she sits up and stares at me once again. I feel like the daggers within her eyes are burning hot, and I crack to speak.
“If I don’t test my limits, I won’t know if I can ever be strong enough on my own.” I clench my fists tightly, and a well of emotions stirs within the pits of my stomach.
“You keep hurting yourself; I won’t like it if you keep doing it, you know.” Tia pouts cutely.
“If it upsets you, then leave. I don’t need a spectator to stop what I want to do with my life. Pain or not, I will get stronger with what I can do. A little blood won’t kill me.” I raise my hand and aim directly at a thick tree stump. The stump is at least a meter wide and a couple tall.
My hands begin to shake from the exhaustion built upon my constant daily use of magic; the feeling is unsettling.
“Even if it’s a little blood, then I will stop it for you.” Tia clasps her hands over my arm. The small elf shows her gentle side and relaxes the nerves in my arm with her holy magic. A slight disturbance within my stomach becomes upset, and an overwhelming feeling begins to channel into the palm of my hand.
Letting out a breath, the air that exits my mouth seemingly sparkles and crackles; the sparks fade, but not the glowing energy collecting toward my hand. Through the various nights of training, I have concluded that expanding your magic is but one of two sources of magic storage. The first storage is the capacity of magic you can cast without having severe drawbacks, and they are relatively powerful enough to kill a full-grown man or creature if that was the intent. However, the moment you tap out of the mana pool, the second storage opens and releases a tremendous amount of mana throughout the body as a defense mechanism. The rapid increase of magic recharge acts almost like a high of a drug. Like adrenaline pumping in your veins, instead, it’s magic. The thrill becomes intoxicating, and the sensation of using magic becomes even more compelling. It is that feeling that makes it dangerous. Your limits to prevent you from damaging yourself extensively are removed, and the moment you use any spell, all of that overflowing energy is released into one massive cast. Now I know how Demon King Raiden could pull off his Crimson Flash that consumed him the moment he used it.
Sparks and bolts of lightning fizzle around my hand and travel up my arm. The rush slowly drew me toward oblivion. Focusing on my aim, I breathe out, and the mist from my lips sparks to life. I am in my element. A spiral of bright blue energy coils around my arm and hits the center of my palm.
“Lightning Bolt!”
Boom
The thunderous sound of the impact shatters the stump into pieces. The bolt of lightning had pierced a massive hole within the bark before it split apart and was vaporized.
“Mm…! Gah..! Hahh..!” Droplets of crimson run along my fingertips and palm. Strangely, it didn’t hurt nearly as much as the last few times I pushed to this extent. The wounds I sustained were also less severe. Nonetheless, Tia placed her soft, gentle hands onto mine and began to cast her holy magic.
The warm yellowish-green light wrapped around the wound, and soon, the feeling warmed its way back into my hand and arm. The wound, fully sealed and hidden from sight, we took off back home in the middle of the night.
Tia walked beside me, her hands slightly dirty from the blood; I took out my handkerchief and stopped her.
“You don’t need to.”
“Your kindness is far too great for someone like me, Tia. This is the least I can do for what you have done for me.” I wipe the blood off her hands softly. Folding the handkerchief and placing it in my pocket, I fail to notice the blush over her cheeks, myself too busy trying to conceal my own.
We continued on the long walk back to the manor.
“Tomorrow is the party,” Tia exclaims.
“So, it is,” I reply.
“Milia told me she is picking your attire, isn’t that right?”
“It is true. I wasn’t one to care for appearances, but I fear she goes a little overboard.”
Tia chuckles softly before replying. “It must be nice to have someone so helpful and excited for you.”
“She’s a good person. Too good to be my personal maid. However, that is just how the world works.” A depressed sigh escapes my lips.
“You really don’t view yourself in the best light, do you?” Tia touches my shoulder and looks at me sternly. I softly remove her hand.
“I bear the curse of Nix bright as day. My existence alone is a curse for anyone who has to take care of me. Not to mention, I only recently found out I am also a descendant of the Demon King Raiden. Hell, I think you should realize that I may not be the best company to have around.”
With a soft glance and steady pace, Tia rushes ahead of me. After a second, she stops and turns toward me. I stop in my tracks as the subtleness of her clenched fists hits my chest.
“Tia…?” I speak softly.
“It’s not fair…” She says weakly.
“Huh?”
Before I could ask about her actions, she turned and ran off toward the manor. Leaving me in the dark shade of the moon. A soft and subtle sting lingers at the part of my chest she connected with. I lowered my head and sighed to myself. Confused about her behavior, I admit defeat and chase after her.
“Tia! Look, I’m sorry! Don’t be upset!” I frantically try to catch up, but I lose sight of her. Darkvision, not being my thing, I could only assume that she took a turn to hide from me so that I couldn’t confront her about it.
“Tia…” I curse myself for my negligence. I figure I should give her space and decide to return to my room…
*
I was upset. I didn’t mean to run away, but I didn’t know what else to do. I left with tears in my eyes as Caleb stood there. I closed my eyes and ran as fast as I could. The pain began to strain my lungs, and I lost my breath. For what felt like an hour of running, I stopped and tried to catch my breath.
Caleb’s voice rings in the distance. Not too far, but far enough to know that he wouldn’t find her in this darkness. Letting out a sigh, Tia leans against a tree.
“I miss home…” I missed it a lot. Other than the exception of Caleb, I didn’t want to be here anymore. I missed the trees and little creatures I could play with. Hugging tightly to my knees, I softly wept in them.
The feeling of anxiety began to build within. Tia sat there in her anguish, and soon, she couldn’t help but cry out, if only for a little bit. She was letting out her frustrations. Tia took a deep breath.
Rustle
The sounds of the bushes being disturbed made her jump to her feet. Worried that it might be Caleb or someone from the manor, she tried to step away. However, a disturbing sound began to growl through the foliage.
Grrrrr!
The familiar growl of a wolf was typical in these woods. And now they were even more threatening. Tia gasped briefly before another wolf leaped out from the bushes alongside the other lone pack member.
“Ahh…!” Tia screams out.
Tia feels despair drawn upon her. The strength in her legs begins to be replaced with thoughtless fear. Each step back away, shaking with each movement. The duo slowly approached her, and the center wolf took a few steps forward before quickly sprinting and leaping toward her.
The moment I saw the fangs of the creatures before me, a slight reality burned in my heart, knowing that I was about to die. I fell backward, and all I could think about was Caleb and home.
The wolf pounces on top of me. A row of teeth brushed close to my face. The horrid and foul-smelling scent of the beast’s breath made me gag. Using all the strength in my body, I push off the wolf, and it hurries back, getting ready to pounce again. The second wolf approaches my exposed state. Not having the strength to withstand the creatures any longer, the ring of death was ever so present. I closed my eyes as the approaching jaws leaped toward the exposed skin of my neck.
Thump!
I open my eyes to the sound. A soft wind breeze brushes across my face, and the long strands of my hair part as Caleb’s visage mesmerizes my eyes. The defiant look on his face hides the intense pain of the razor jaws around his arm. The familiar crimson drips down his arm and onto the soft dirt.
