by Tj Dixon
“Do you have the courage to atone for what you have done, rather than taking the easy way out by dying?” I ask.
“How exactly do I atone?” Ash asks looking weakly at the floor. She has a fair point, though I hadn’t really thought that far ahead. I look at Yu Kii for help but she just looks at the floor too. Thanks Yu Kii!
“Well, living with the pain of what you tried to do would be a start. After that you could just try to do something good with your life.”
“That’s not enough.” Ash says weakly and I know that she’s right, at least if she is accepting the blame for her actions despite the fact she was being controlled. What else though? I could tell her to try to make it up to her former slaves, but I doubt that would work out well. I doubt many if any of them would ever forgive her, even knowing the reasons behind her actions. “Perhaps I should kill myself after all.”
“Wait, you’re in the royal tournament, right?” I ask.
“Yes.” She nods looking a bit confused.
“Then fight without killing. Fight until you are beaten or win, and free everyone you beat. We can talk again if you win. If you lose you’ll probably be someone’s slave so your own enslavement would surely be enough atonement. Living as a slave would be a very harsh life, depending who your owner is. Even with a kind owner it is scary to know that your fate and your very life are in the hands of someone else.” I tell her. She winces, perhaps scared for herself or perhaps guiltily remembering how she treated her own slaves.
“It’s not enough unless I lose, but it is a start.” She agrees tiredly. “Will you be competing now you’re back?”
“Probably.”
“Then I hope you are the one who beats me.”
“Don’t go easy on me. If we fight I want to win a real fight against you.” I tell her.
“I don’t think I’ll need to go easy on you.” She tells me with a small smile now. It is a weak and scared little smile, but it is still an improvement. Then I consider that if I beat her I’ll probably have to keep her as my slave. At least it would probably be a better fate than if someone else beats her. That reminds me of Asuna and Hermes, which reminds me again of Rin.
“We’ll be leaving now. You should get some sleep.” I tell her. Yu Kii bows to Ash, which seems to disturb Ash’s aura.
“Thank you, both of you.” Ash tells us with her gaze firmly placed on the ground. Before Yu Kii can say anything and potentially complicate matters further for Ash I grab Yu Kii by the wrist and port us outside my room.
“She needs time alone. Anything we say now could cause more problems for her.” I tell Yu Kii who naturally seemed confused that I ported us so abruptly. “This is still my room, right?”
“Yes.”
“Is Rin still at Lucy’s home?”
“I’ll check. … Yes. Lucy is weak from the port and Rin is waiting there with Elucia, Dairon and someone called Kai.” Yu Kii tells me.
“Kai is a half dwarven woman we met.” I tell Yu Kii. “Anyway I’m tired so I’m going to get some sleep. Do you know if Asuna and Hermes are likely to be here? I assume it must be after lessons. It seems bright, but I’ve been underground for ages.”
“It’s our day off. The match had just finished so it’s still early. Asuna and Hermes should be training.” Yu Kii tells me.
“They can carry on with that, but could you let them know I’m back and need to rest?”
“Of course, and I’m glad you are back. We were all really worried about you.” Yu Kii tells me and to my surprise she hugs me for a moment before taking a step back. She is normally so formal, so that really takes me by surprise. She feels so soft and I catch a small whiff of a sweet, gentle and pleasant smell. It reminds me of fresh grass, though at this time of year that can’t be it.
“Thank you and I’m glad to be back too.” I reply still a little in shock from the hug.
“You’ll have to meet my sister sometime. She escaped from the temple when the elves first captured it.” Yu Kii tells me.
“Yes.” I nod politely, but I am too tired to do much more now. The journey here and everything that has happened since I got back has really worn me out. I yawn and push open my door. It still remembers me, so opens effortlessly. “See you tomorrow, Yu Kii.”
“See you tomorrow and sleep well, Peter.” Yu Kii says with her bright smile and I reveal the window for a little light with the simple spell Asuna showed me. I wish I had as much energy as she did, but instead I push the door shut and slowly make my way to the large bed. I’m tired and nobody else is going to be sleeping right now so I don’t see any problem with using it. I’m sure Asuna would tell me to use it if she were here.
I cleanse myself with water magic and then collapse onto the bed. I don’t even get under the covers. I just don’t have the energy. It is strange how quickly I felt the tiredness once I left Ash’s room. She seemed so tired and I was desperate to stop her killing herself and to free her slaves that I just didn’t notice my tiredness. Now I don’t even have the energy to crawl under the covers. Sleep soon takes me.
I wake and blurry eyed I check my watch in the dim light, before remembering that I am back at the academy. I check the dimensional timekeeper and realise the whole day has gone but it isn’t late at night yet. We aren’t in Nirvali, so where is this dim light coming from? The sun has set by now so it can’t be through the window. In fact the window has been hidden. I sit up and look around for the light source but what catches my eye is rather closer.
Asuna is laying asleep right next to me, face up and like me above the covers. She is wearing a blue silk nightdress that sparkles even in this dim light. Then I notice where the light is coming from. Asuna is wearing a necklace with a simple white stone that is shining dimly. Like Hinata did for us, Asuna must have infused it with magic to light the way or perhaps simply to light this room.
The light stone quickly loses my attention though, which is drawn to Asuna’s fair skin that it is shining on. The stone rests not far above her breasts, which although covered by the night dress are much more distinct than when she is in her uniform. It is clear they are a little more developed than Elucia’s, though they are still not huge. I knew this already but seeing them up close like this makes it seem much more real.
Why does it matter? It shouldn’t but for some reason my body is telling me that it does. It reminds me of those times I lay in Nirvali trying to get to sleep but thinking of Asuna. I feel a little weird and try to distract myself. As I do so I realise that Asuna is only pretending to be asleep. Her aura reveals deception, which is only possible if she is awake. Obviously the deception itself is simply the pretence of sleep.
I look around and see that Hermes is in her bed facing the wall, so with her back to us. Her aura reveals she is awake and has mixed feelings. She is both happy and upset. I hope she is happy that I am back, but I don’t know what she is upset about.
Finally I notice that the bed I was using is not empty. Sitting there glaring at me is the devil. Actually it is just Rin, but a devil might be less scary. I smile at Rin, trying to calm her anger.
“Hello Rin. Since we’re all awake, let’s talk.” I say loud enough that everyone can hear.
“Sure, if you’ve finished leering at Asuna.” Rin says not even trying to hide her anger.
“I wasn’t leering! What is leering, anyway?”
“What you were doing just now.” Rin answers with a sniff. Hermes turns to face me.
“Leering is looking at someone unpleasantly.” Hermes says also sniffing.
“There wasn’t anything unpleasant about how I was looking at Asuna! I was just looking for the light source.”
“And after you found it?” Rin asks furiously.
“I just thought the blue dress looked nice. It sparkles in the light.” I lie. Well not entirely lie, since I did think that, but that wasn’t my main thought.
“Hmmph.” Rin says.
“Welcome back, Peter.” Asuna says looking up at me with a smile. I was s
ure she would be angry after what Rin and Hermes said, but perhaps that was silly given this is Asuna. Then she makes me blush. “I can take the nightdress off if you want to get a better look at it, or at me.”
“What are you saying Asuna?!” Rin splutters furiously.
“It’s not like that!” I protest.
“Sure it’s not.” Rin says quietly but then she sighs. “You were right though. We need to talk. And I’ll hit Asuna later for beating me to say it, but welcome back.”
“Yes, welcome back!” Hermes says and sits up. “Let’s talk at the table rather than in our beds.”
“Yes.” Rin says darkly. “Especially since Asuna and Peter are in the same bed. I thought it would be ok for one night, seeing as how Peter is just a child and I made it plain to Asuna that if she did anything to him I’d personally kill her. It seems though that Peter has grown up a bit since I last saw him.”
I blush and quickly get out of bed. I take a seat near one end of the long table. Asuna quickly follows me and sits at the seat on my left. Rin and Hermes almost seem to race to see who can sit down next. They must have a lot of energy to move so quickly straight after getting up. Rin gets there first because she was slightly nearer and takes the seat opposite me. Hermes then sits next to me on my right. I would actually rather either Asuna or Hermes had sat opposite me, because now I am staring into Rin’s glacial fury. It subsides after a moment though.
Rin’s piercing green eyes, her sharp chiselled face and her short blonde hair remind me I am truly home. Despite her short temper she is probably my best friend and was the first friend I made here. It is reassuring to be sitting here with her again.
“I’d like to hear everything about your time away from the academy, but first there are some things I need to tell you.” Rin says looking me calmly in the eye. Actually she seems nervous rather than calm, but only in her aura.
“Ok.” I say, because she has stopped talking. She really must be nervous.
“I suppose I should first ask whether you plan to compete in the final stage of the royal tournament.” Rin says with a frown.
“I do.” I answer her.
“Yu Kii thought so and I can’t say I’m surprised, but if you do compete, you’ll have to fight Sor. She returned to the academy today and entered the tournament. I don’t know what she’s thinking, but she isn’t going to be an easy win.” Rin says.
Now that is one scary thought. Beating Sor isn’t going to be easy. Losing to Sor and becoming her slave would be scarier than walking into the gates of hell. Even so, I don’t think I will lose even to Sor. Not if I can take power from Elucia again, anyway. Will she let me though? Also how did Sor recover from the after effects of the curse?
“Beating Sor isn’t going to be easy, but I can do it.” I say but my voice is unconvincing.
“Can or will?” Rin asks and she has me there. I can’t say for certain that it is will.
“Can.” I admit.
“Why risk your freedom by fighting her?” Rin asks me and I wince.
“I’ll have to think carefully about it.”
“Make sure you do.” Rin tells me seriously.
“Thank you for warning me.” I say and Rin blushes for a moment before turning serious again.
“There’s more. We made a deal with Hinata whilst you were gone. The land to the east of the river is yours just like we agreed with Reika, but you also now own a swamp to the north. It should be useful for training and ingredients for alchemy. In return we need Dairon to renew the land every few years and protect the Hoshi people. Jenny and Jimmy are staying with Hinata to do that and the club is helping out when needed.”
“How is Hinata?” I ask.
“I don’t know. I assume she’s fine since Jenny hasn’t said anything.” Rin says with a shrug. Then she looks at me seriously again and I realise there is more. “We’ve had a student from 2D and from 3B ask to join the club. Without you here we couldn’t accept them officially, but we have been training with them. You’ll need to meet them soon and decide whether to accept them into the club. I think it would be foolish to refuse them and they get on well with everyone so doing so would upset the rest of the club too. Sorry, but I didn’t see any reason to refuse them.”
“Fine, if you think we should accept them then we will. Could you write the contracts?”
“I already have.” Rin says with a smile and points at two pieces of paper on the bedside table. Hermes is closest and gets up to get them before I can move. She hands me the contracts and I quickly read them. They are not only written but signed by the two girls.
“I’m not going to regret accepting them, am I?” I ask Rin.
“I don’t think so but if you want to meet them first you can.” Rin tells me sounding a bit nervous. Her aura is even more nervous than her appearance.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I ask her suspicious now. Rin sighs.
“I should have known you’d realise. Fine… Asuna, you tell him.”
“Why me?!” Asuna complains.
“Oh, I’ll tell him.” Hermes says and I turn to face her. Her aura shows amused frustration that is matched by her expression. “They’re just being silly. There’s a stupid rumour that one of the girls in 3B isn’t human, but even if that is true, I can’t believe Juliet is anything other than human. Just because her last name is Phoenix doesn’t mean she is a phoenix.”
“What’s a phoenix?” I ask.
“They’re supposed to be a type of firebird that turns to ash when it dies and is then reborn from the ash. They don’t exist though, which is the other reason she couldn’t be one.” Hermes tells me.
“Are they supposed to be able to take human form or masters of illusion?” I ask.
“No. They can only use basic fire magic other than the resurrection thing.” Hermes tells me, shaking her head in amusement.
“Was there anything else you were hiding?” I ask Rin.
“No.” Rin mumbles.
“Well I’m not going to hold some silly rumour against her.” I say and sign the contracts. Juliet Phoenix and Misty Styx are our two new recruits and I look forward to meeting them. I also look forward to seeing everyone from the club again.
Chapter 19 (Peter)
I wake again but this time in my own bed. Rin and Asuna are sleeping in the big bed and Hermes is in her own bed too. Rin will be getting her own room again later today. After so long without enough sleep I feel truly invigorated to have slept for a day and a night now.
I get up and wash myself with water magic. Nobody else is up yet and I don’t want to wake them, so I port outside our class. I don’t know where I will be sitting yet but I suppose I can sit at the back until someone else arrives. I just sit at the first seat in the back row and wait. There are three rows of ten desks and an empty area between the front row and what must be the teacher’s desk. To my surprise Ash is the first to arrive and she seems shocked to see me here. I also notice tear stains under her eyes.
“Is this your seat?” I ask.
“No. Ling sat there.” Ash tells me and sits in the next seat.
“Is it ok for me to sit here?” I ask.
“Yes, it’s fine. The only other free seats are in the first row. If you’d rather sit there then Zasty, Tora and Laura sit in those three seats and the rest are free. You might not want to take those first two though, because that’s where Sor and Emi used to sit.”