Chap 4 To be open or have secrets?
the most important thing is to love thyself, people! Popsongs are good atmosphere
"I wish to clarify, why did you feel you are useless and boring? Everyone has his or her strengths." Algrim frowned. I was impressed by his observation.
I shrugged. "Everyone has magic, I don't have anything or special morphing or attack, or defence capabilities." I blew up my fringe.
He shook his head. The elf had a really long speech about- It did not matter how little or huge my efforts were in proving myself, or abilities. "Just be. Not being injured is an asset, health is quite important. Not even our race is able to heal instantly."
"Thanks. Is it possible that I can become a magic caster? Please teach me!" I lost all my shyness in that instant. Algrim steepled his hands, and he narrowed his eyes. I got nervous.
To my relief, that did not mean he wanted to chide me. Softly, he responded, "Hmm I shall try my best. Meanwhile, I need you to do something for me. Please don't put yourself down. I feel sad. " I felt a sense of warmth spread inside me like a flame that he wanted me not to do something physical but for myself. All immortals were better than me, far superior.
"Sure." He smiled a little. Did he have a painful past? However that fled my mind, when Algrim suggested doing some art.
I chuckled. Maybe he wanted to change the subject. The ideas that came to mind were horses and dogs so I drew them. "They are beautiful. See, my art is not nice. Haha." Algrim had done a small circle, triangles and some dots. So cute.
"Hm what is that? I think you're not that poor in art!" I exclaimed.
"I have no artistic talent." His smile seemed innocent. I think he wanted to boost my low self-esteem. "A bird." I said that it was not bad, could be considered abstract art. Despite having met for just two days, I had a rising impression and opinion of his race.
Before I left this time, I asked, "Thank you. Is there some painful past? Never mind if it's too personal…. I'd be glad to share. We can be honest with each other right?"
Algrim stood in the doorway. His solemn look was unreadable, only his pitch tremulated under the calm surface. "I'm… fine. Yes, being open and honest is very fruitful, Reslin. One day, when I am ready."
Strangely it reminded me of my brothers when they needed comfort, but Algrim is an adult, I can't hug him and give him a candy! It may not be appropriate to hug him.
Algrim rested a hand on my shoulder.
"I would like to call you Andriel. Is that alright?"
"Huh why?"
"Reminds me of someone." I filled in 'I loved' behind to myself. Of course I told him no problem, but I might not respond immediately. Algrim chuckled. I did not actually have to go to his place everytime, but I would definitely visit more often.
Mira invited the Angelica and Kirea for our lunch one day. I knew sometimes she would go and join them, while I had other appointments going on.
No I deliberately called them 'the' as they were obnoxious. How could she want to befriend them, to be popular? What came out from their mouths was backstabbing. First they grumbled about some shallow airheads, and then switched to our teachers especially Algrim. "The Blackie, he's so boring and longwinded. So what if we were late? And arrogant… " I almost wanted to hit them.
"Can't you stop whining? Surely there's other stuff to talk about? Don't be racist." I argued. Negative leeches! At first the two were shocked into silence.
Kirea sneered. "What, he's your lover? We'll say anything we want to! Everyone thinks he's an evil black guy too (etc)" Bitch! I trembled with anger, it isn't fair! What sort of rubbish is this? Angelica echoed same sentiments. Their trendy clothing of sparkles and Angelica's wings were an illusion.
I took deep breaths. They were worthless trash. Mira held my arm and told me we should move away. She was pleading. Finally we did, because in history I had ever broken people's noses before. My strength was phenomenal especially when I stood up for the absent. Braun could testify it, and he always brought up how I bullied him.
Mira tried to talk sense into me. With years of experience, the drow said he could ignore such false rumors. It was true that the text messages from these people were vile.
"Hey let's go and take our things ok?" Our bags were there.
I turned to her. "We don't need to speak to them. Aren't there better people around?"
She didn't answer and murmured something about fitting in. When I marched back there, the two were whispering to the others of their circle. My temper eased after a while when I walked off to be alone. Mira said, Res, I'll come later. Where'll you be?
I'm just going to wander about. Call me. The fields nearby for outdoor sports and activities were tranquil and soothing, trees grew in wild abandon at the fringes. Overhead it was slightly cloudy so the sun did not burn. I listened to the birds chirruping. How simple and carefree they are. My shoes rustled the grass and I heard snatches of speech in another language.
Sharp leaf ears and golden hair, that was an elf with a bow strapped to his back. He gestured to something. I managed to get closer and he did not notice. A figure with a dark cloak and pale hair blown by the wind stop and make a signal.
Hmm really strange. I could have sworn it was a drow… the people had said we were forbidden to access this deserted part of the Academy. But there was no mention why. I had not blinked but he or she had vanished. This elf strolled on, and now I noticed he was speaking with an amulet communicator. It glowed with its blue aura, so he had not been speaking to the dark figure.
The next personal session had me dreaming and speculating about the person and why he vanished. An apparition? The dark elf was talking about a chapter of maths that sounded challenging. My only interest was in drawing pie charts and angles, this seemed to be another level. Algrim asked, using his pen to tap the table. "Reslin what's wrong? Your gaze is wandering." He had a grumpy tone.
I said I was fine and chewed my pencil. Since I tended to make mistakes for Math, this meant I could erase them without making holes. Here, if you used a pen, you could not change neatly except by cancelling. I should be able to do this question of distance and speed.
The dark elf's stare seemed to bore into the back of my head. "Although you try to sound convincing it's useless to lie to me. Take a break." He sounded very stern.
Yet he did not probe my mind or he'd find out.
"Ok. Can I do about graphs? " I asked, standing up. He did not change his expression at all. "I won't lie, Algrim." Why the sudden hostile emotions? Inside the bathroom, I washed up and made a face in the mirror. Looked like today there wouldn't be mercy and concern for me.
The next hour trickled slowly. I decided to do the graphs while he read some notes. The silence felt uncomfortable to me. "Um, did something happen? I'm not the only person who pissed you off right?" I queried, watching him hidden behind the file entitled in another language.
"Nothing happened." His voice was succinct. I waited. Then he added, "You can skip to other sections now, but you cannot always evade the uninteresting topics."
I knew that. Wanted to open my mouth, but I had an idea: I didn't mean to ignore you. Forgive me please?
I'm not angry with you. Something else…
He set down the file and asked me if I was going to focus now. I nodded and concentrated. He smiled at my effort. My work on the graphs did not have mistakes. Then we discussed about an essay which I had trouble with from another class. It was a particularly boring topic.
"I'm trying to figure out how an elf can vanish through a wall?"
Algrim's ears moved. "By magic. I find it bizarre that suddenly you think about that."
I waited for some probe, sure he would do so. But nothing came, it would feel like a tickle which I had experienced.
"Oh. I saw someone do that."
"Ah." His mood seemed to have lifted. I was relieved. "Do not worry. Let's stop here. I have something to do."
I was astonished, he always wanted to finish exactly on the dot. Algrim waited. I agreed and stepped out. I didn't leave immediately, thought I heard a cough and something dropping on the ground.
The weekend had been cool, my mum who usually forgot I existed, had called me. She promised to visit me soon!Mira and I had spent quality time at the little mall a few hours away.
I had some idea how to buy gifts for upcoming birthdays. I'm a Sagittarius! Maybe there was a subject that could engross my restlessness.
Some healers were talking about giving medication, as we were within earshot. For the main classrooms on the lowest level we always passed by their quarters. I would not have anticipated who needed aid. The time came for me to hand in my homework to Gillery one of the few dwarves in the place teaching literature. He was okay, very passionate for a short person and chose to because he didn't want to be a smith.
Since I had some extra time before I was supposed to go to the next session, I texted Kruz if he was around and free. He said 'sorry no', I missed talking to him. He had taken mostly practical subjects. I spotted a familiar elf. Hallien seemed worried about something, he was outside the library.
"Hi. What's up?"
He smiled. "Oh I'm just thinking if I made the right choice to give those pills. To… my friend. He drove me away."
I waited. Who? He didn't want to tell, but I grabbed his hand. "Who will do that?"
When I heard the name, I was taken aback. That explained why my mentor had been sullen and impatient… "Reslin, he's fine. I checked on him just now."
I waved and ran.
I had a sense of foreboding, when I reached his place. There was completely no light, the purple orbs were also missing! I used my cellphone as a torch.
"Algrim? Are you okay?" I asked timidly. I shone the light to the kitchen and table nothing. No one. Then something shiny was reflected, a chain!
I knelt and picked it up. Was this not a kind of locket? During culture lessons, the person explained some elves wore it for a lucky charm. They never take it off and Algrim had been wearing it.
Feebly he gasped. From where? My light shone towards the curtained room. Andriel?
The mental voice led me to where he half lay on the floor, contorted and his ambers were dilated. He was clutching his chest, gasping painfully, normally ebony skin had a grey pallor. With the other arm, he tried to struggle.
"What's wrong?" I asked, supporting his head near my chest. "I'll go for help."
Algrim must have been trying to reach the bed but failed to. His sweaty hand gripped my arm. Then he closed his eyes. I think I should not move him though he had to rest in bed.
His lips moved. I leaned close. "Medicine… need, take." He wheezed.
"Where?" My mind went blank and white- every minute was passing. I thumbed my phone, what was the emergency number? Crap crap! Lying down seemed to help his condition.
"Andriel… calm. White box, table." He gestured vaguely.I nodded, gently laying him down. Anything white, and it should have pills. Hallien had mentioned. I checked the drawers on the other side of the bed. Sorry, he said feebly.
I hoped that was not going to mean he'd stop fighting. My hands located a lightswitch on the wall. Awesome! Immediately I noticed a tiny round box that looked like a sweet container, in the middle drawer. Some big pills were inside.
"Hey I've found it. This one right?" My teacher had swooned, completely silent. No I won't allow this to happen. I called him repeatedly, patting his cheek. Algrim gasped again, disoriented.
"Open your mouth." I hoped he wouldn't choke and put one on his tongue. Then I knelt so that he leaned against me.
Now I remembered there was no number for the healing place. Gradually the wheezing stopped. It worked! "I will go find Hallien." The drow shakily attempted to stand and I supported him to the bed.
"Why didn't you tell me? I'm panicking," I asked. Tears blurred my vision.
"I don't intend to. I forgot to take the medicine, and pain got worse. I'm sorry," Algrim replied raspily. At least he sounded better. "Don't… bother them." He attempted to sit up. Sweat sheened.
"Are you mad? This is serious. Lie down." I snapped. He seemed meek and leaned back on the pillows.
"Once the pill is taken I'm fine. Can you get me a glass of water?"
I got a glass of water. Algrim was obediently still.
Softly, as I held his hand, he talked about it. "I don't like to tell many about this, problem. I don't think there is need to panic. This time was an- unusual episode. When I focus on something else, it remains under control. I don't want pity or sadness."
Yet my protective urge and unexplained anger surged. "That was why you were angry that day. I'm sorry." You shouldn't be upset!
He sighed. "No nobody's fault. I won't die, only… it is a mystery, this problem. But nobody is alive to explain." Algrim fell asleep.
I went to find Hallien who ran like the wind. They must be good friends. On the way he got me to tell about the details. I was able to keep pace. "Why doesn't he want to bother the healers? And how long has this been?" I fired.
The Light elf stopped, panting at the foot of the steps. In between breaths, Hallien talked about why. Apparently this was one of the asthma-like episodes, happening on and off for some time. Because dark elves were extinct, except for Algrim and the one individual discovered, there was no basis to form any antidotes. I understood why he couldn't speak of his family. Nothing could be learnt about their health and lifespan etc.
"We have tried for years. It frustrates him that we take blood samples, he simply refuses now. The pills are a painkiller, it's the eighth or ninth trial. I told him not to get stressed. Outwardly he would look fine but inside his emotions boil."
We walked into his home. The pale elf asked aloud, "Damn it's so dark! How to see?" Haha. I switched my cellphone as torch.
Hallien called to him. "Stop panicking," the drow grumbled. I waited outside. Later, they asked me to go in.
"I've given him an injection. You have to remain calm, friend, so don't move today." The healer said.
"I know. Come here, Reslin."
I sat beside his bed. "Yea? I kind of yelled at you."
"I am sorry you had to find out. I'm shocked that you raised your voice, but I see the logic of it. Or else I would be hit?" he smiled.
"No. I won't. I'll just hold you down." I remembered the chain and took it out from my pocket. "Er found this outside."
Algrim took it back and fondled the chain. At the end was a symbol of a five pointed star or something. Maybe it was his country. Hallien mouthed something, but he did not have the ability to send me thoughts. I chuckled.
"Ok I'll leave now."
The drow sighed. "I'm bored. Oh no, you missed your lesson? " He winced when he tried to move. We assured him it was ok. He had a strained look.
"Not much. I've a buddy to talk to them about it. Hehe. Sleep well. I'll visit soon." I said cheerfully. We bade goodbye.
I followed my escort to the next place. The healer would explain why I was late for an hour or so. My heart went out to the endangered race. What had happened? "Thank you for helping him. He won't make a sound and just faints sometimes. For the entire of the previous season Algrim did not have a relapse. I thought he has recovered. The first time he came here to Alfheimr, we all did not speak English. Quite a memorable time… I used elvish and it was like communicating with a completely strange culture. Later he said 'I can speak English imbecile.' He is mostly individualistic and extremely high in Empathy."
That skill was a sign of a high level magic caster. Empathy meant the person can read emotions and thoughts well, impossible to lie to them. The disadvantage is it leads to stress and worries since they receive all negative things too. They can build the defences to protect themselves but tend to accumulate grief and agonies. I nodded. That encompassed my mentor totally. Hallien knocked on the door. After speaking for a bit,
I sat down in the front.
This was a gigantic class! More than forty people and several guides were around giving speeches.
8
