Chapter 24 - Cancel

For whatever reason, I decided to scale back down to my room. Ela couldn't understand why I didn't just walk like a person that didn't have a death wish, but I didn't really expect her to understand. My understanding wasn't much better after all.

Wiping off the excess dirt and frost still on my hands, the only thing on my mind was to go back to sleep.

...

My body woke me up, but I was still groggy and wanted to go back to sleep. Resisting temptation, my body rose as cracks from my back echoed in the room.

Another day...

I opened the curtains to feel a blast of cold. It was already snowing.

Letting the cold batter me, my eyes scanned across the landscape. What was going to happen today?

After a few moments of thought, I stumbled my way to the bathroom.

The sensation of being cleaned felt strange. It was almost like the water was trying to peel away my skin. My hands fumbled about with my hair.

It was soft... not clumpy and dirty.

There was a knock on the door.

Hurriedly finishing up my shower, I then went to answer.

Opening the door, I saw Ela was standing there with her usual stern expression. Ela cleared her throat, holding a fist up to block her mouth.

"I wish to meet with all of you."

My eyelids were trying to close, while my mind was trying to will them back up.

"Oh, ok."

I stepped out of the door and Ela went to knock on Ned's door. After some sudden shuffling noises, Ned opened the door, just barely keeping one eye open while using a finger to rub the other.

"Good morning, is something happening?"

Ela had her hands clasped in front of her.

"I wish to have a meeting, may you please attend?"

Ned nodded hastily, tensing his face to hold back a yawn.

"Alright, just give me a moment, I will come back out soon."

Ela then walked over to Alyx's room. I followed a few steps behind, unable to fully commit to walking forward.

Ela knocked and there was no response for a while.

"Shh..."

Erin's head popped out from a crack in her door, holding a finger to her mouth.

Ela turned to Erin and slowly nodded.

"What is the issue?"

Erin pushed the door all the way open, letting us come in with a bitter smile. Ela walked in and I came in as well.

The room was dark, but it was not hard to notice Alyx in the bed with her eyes closed and red face. Her brows were furrowed like she was in pain and her arm hung by the side of the bed.

Ela sighed. She kneeled by the bed and gently put one hand on Alyx's hand while the other hand supported from underneath.

"Oh dear, this is terrible."

Alyx's eyelids trembled, opening just enough for her to see.

"Ela... don't worry... I will be fine..."

Alyx made a trembling smile, yet as a testament to how much pain she was in, could only grimace right after. Ela laid Alyx's hand down.

"Rest well."

As Ela started to leave, I wondered about the feasibility of the healing spell. Would the side effects be too much?

...I remember the burden was worse than Alyx's spell.

"Wait, maybe I can try something."

I crossed my legs and sat down next to Alyx's bed my eyelids gave in to closing.

There were small gusts of wind picked up from around me. As I slowly started to form the healing spell, I already could feel my body straining.

My organs were being squeezed. My bones wailed and cracked. My skin started to squirm.

After preparing the healing spell I awoke from my trance to see Ela shaking me with both her hands on my shoulders.

"Dear heavens, what are you doing to yourself?"

My breaths were staggered and my heart was violently pounding.

"I'm ok, I'm fine."

Ela's expression softened as a small frown appeared on her face.

"Don't do that again..."

I shook my head.

"I am a constitution mage, this is only natural."

Ela grit her teeth and started to shake me again.

"No, this is not natural. Constitution mages slowly build up their spells, not recklessly destroy their foundation."

Erin worriedly glanced over.

"That looked... really painful."

My headache worsened as Ela continued to shake me, so I pushed off her hands.

"I've been through worse. Regardless, after my body recuperates for a bit, I should be able to heal Alyx."

The fingers on my left hand gripped tightly onto my head, trying to dig into my skull. Alyx's hand brushed onto my shoulder.

"Don't... worry about me..."

A smirk plastered my face.

"I was planning on doing something like this anyway. Casting a spell like this is basically all the exercise I need to do for today, this way it is helpful for both of us."

In the corner of my eye, Erin and Ela were frowning. It seemed they didn't believe me. I leaned back onto the bedpost.

"You may think I am overdoing it. But in reality, I may not be harsh enough on myself."

Ela only frowned further.

"...What spell could you have cast to cause your condition to become like this?"

Uh...

"...I don't know."

Ela couldn't help but rub her forehead with her index and middle finger.

"Good grief... don't overdo it."

I laid my head back onto the bedpost.

"I will try my best not to."

The room was silent, other than Alyx's heavy and pained breathing.

When some of the pain waned, my legs forced me up and I got prepared to cast the spell.

"Hey, if I fall, can you catch me?"

Ela furrowed her brows and squinted her eyes.

"Why are you- Stop!"

The spell connected, forming the shape of a rose. The spell drifted toward Alyx, while a storm was coming for me.

My entire body started to violently tremble, my vision was blurry, and I fell to my knees.

As I started to fall back, Ela caught me. She gingerly pulled out my legs and laid me down. Ela was holding a hand under my head, though I could hardly tell amidst my spasms.

The convulsions slowed and I took a deep breath. I tried to sit up but abruptly fell again.

Ela caught my head before it slammed into the ground.

"Are you alright?"

I rapidly blinked, my breathing calmed down.

"Yeah, I think I'm just going to lay down here for a bit."

Ela rubbed her forehead with two fingers.

"How... Did you find this spell? I have never seen anything like it before."

My brain rapidly churned, trying to find some lie but...

"I... don't want to talk about it."

Ela's lips trembled but she did not say anything. Alyx was already up and she appeared as if she was never sick in the first place.

"Thank you for healing me."

I raised my hand listlessly and waved it off.

"It's whatever, this is nothing monumental being a constitution mage."

Ned seemed to notice the commotion as he peeked inside.

"Hello? Is something happening?"

Ela stood up and turned to Ned.

"Apologies but Jay needs some time to recover, then we can have the meeting."

Ned raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, can't we just do the meeting here then? I mean everyone is here."

Ela's eyelid started to twitch.

"This is too inappropriate we should-"

Ela cut herself off.

"I suppose we must see if Alyx and Erin are ok with it."

Ela looked at Alyx and Erin. Alyx shrugged.

"It's fine with me."

Erin jumped up and down.

"If it is important we should start now!"

Ela smiled while a corner of her lips was starting to spasm.

"Well... there is some bad news."

Ela's smile slowly became a frown.

"On our planet Alora, we experience ten years of winter and ten years of summer. The celebration was supposed to end before winter started, however, it seems winter has come one year early."

Ned and Alyx's expression became solemn, while Erin sat down and leaned in. Ela clenched her fist.

"Even worse... the Demon King was killed and there is no longer anyone who will reign back the demons."

Ned took a step back.

"Wait... the Demon King is dead?"

Ela rubbed her forehead with two fingers.

"Yes, although I made a promise that I would take care of all accommodations and that this world is at peace, this is not the case."

Ned narrowed his eyes.

"What do you think we should do?"

Ela released her clenched fist.

"I will cancel your arrangements for magic school and teach you personally. This is a rather bold request, but I hope that if it is within your power, you help protect this place."

My mouth was agape.

"Wait really? What will you teach us?"

Ela seemed to move her gaze away from me. Ned casually leaned back onto a wall in a room.

"Ah, of course. After all, if we don't protect this place then who will?"

Alyx started to rub her thumb against the side of her index finger.

"...I suppose there is no helping it."

Erin just looked around curiously, as if oblivious to the whole situation. Ela cleared her throat.

"Thank you for your understanding. In terms of what I will be teaching you, it will start with the essentials of efficient mana gathering and fluid casting."

Ela glanced at me.

"We will start after a meal and when you have recovered Jay."

Although the condition of my body was far from pristine, there had been worse damage it held up with before.

"I guess I'm probably good enough to go."

Pushing down the ground with my hands, I slowly shifted my weight onto my legs. Ela held onto my arm and helped me up.

"You should really take better care of yourself."

I smirked.

"You might be right."

Ned gasped and his mouth made a small circle. He whipped his body to face Ela.

"Could I cook our meal?"

Ela opened her mouth, ready to say something, then closed her mouth. After doing this a few times she shook her head.

"Do as you please."

Ned grinned and was already running off to the kitchen. Erin ran after Ned with her arms out, while Alyx seeing Erin run decided to run after as well.

Ela put my arm on her shoulder. She flashed a smile.

"Let us go now."

I smiled as much as my weakened state let me.

"Alright."