Chapter 268: Scream of Agony

Chapter 268: Scream of Agony

The afternoon breeze blew through a small crack in the window and filtered into the bedroom. The breeze swept past the bed covers and gently tickled Strygs face. His eyes and nose scrunched tight and his left ear twitched. With a slow grumble, he opened his bleary eyes.

His lilac irises darted around the unfamiliar room, it was small and made of pale lumber from floor to ceiling. The room was fairly unfurnished, save for a candle stand to the left of the bed, and a wooden chair to the right of the bed, where a young curly-haired woman sat with an amused smile.

Hello, Stryg, Holo said with a pleasant voice.

Captain? W-where am I? Stryg mumbled. His mouth was dry and he struggled to form the words.

His slit pupils suddenly widened to ovals, Plum! Where is she!

He tried to sit up but Holo gently pushed him back down on the bed.

Relax, shes fine, theyre all fine, Holo said soothingly. You, on the other hand, should probably take it easy for a little while longer. Your 2nd Challenge begins tomorrow, best not push yourself.

He reluctantly nodded and laid his head back, ...What happened?

Heh, Holo smiled to herself. Where to begin? Whats the last thing you remember?

Um, I was in the canoe, next to the ruins walkway. A guard showed up and was going to kill Plum So I killed him first My chest started hurting, it was already hurting before, but this was so much worse. Then then I dont remember what happened after that.

Holo patted his forearm, I can answer that. You almost died, little one.

A shiver ran down his back. What? his voice cracked. H-how?

Holo poked his chest, Your heart was overwhelmed by the chaos mana in Shadow Lake, it was threatening to give out and shut down the rest of your organs, including your other heart.

Wait? Other heart? What do you mean other heart?

Well, you have two, didnt you know that?

Why would I know that? Why do I have two hearts!? he asked incredulously.

I dont know, Ive never seen anything like it. My best guess is that its some sort of mutation, Holo admitted with a sigh. One of your hearts seems to be acting as the reservoir for your chromatic mana. While the other heart seems infantile? As if it's struggling to keep up with the rest of your body.

With slow movements Stryg placed his hand over his chest. He could feel his steady heartbeat, ...Is the infantile heart the one that almost gave out?

...Yes, it absorbed way too much chaos mana, it couldnt handle the excess.

Stryg shook his head with a frown, Chaos mana? Youre saying I absorbed chaos mana?

And almost died from the excess, yes.

He looked himself over cautiously, I didnt know anyone could absorb chaos mana

And I didnt know people could have two hearts but here we are, little one. Fortunately for you, your second heart seems to have adapted incredibly quickly to the large amount of chaos mana it absorbed. Your second heart healed itself and your body in just a short few hours, no white magic required.

I healed myself? Stryg gently pressed his fingers against his ribcage.

The ribs he had broken after the Dark Bloods attack were healed, he didnt even feel the twinge of a bruise.

Surprised? she asked.

My body usually heals faster than others, but this is I broke my leg and several other bones two years ago from a fall, it took me weeks to recover and that was after healing magic.

Holo smiled, I think youll find that your bodys regenerative capabilities are far more potent now.

He couldnt help smiling back.

...Stryg, I need to ask you something. Do you remember anything of our talk about Maeve?

He furrowed his brow, So that really did happen? I wasnt certain

So you do remember? her eyes lit with hope.

Mm, he slowly nodded. I remember bits and pieces, something about warning Maeve not to use True Reds synchrony spells. I wasnt sure if I had just dreamed it, but I did warn her about it.

Oh, thats good, Holo sighed with relief.

How did you do that? The dream thing I mean.

Thats a secret, maybe Ill teach you about it one day, she winked.

Fair enough, he nodded. ...You said Plum was fine. Where is she?

I saved Plum and her friends from the Thorns pesky soldiers, you need not worry about them. Theyre probably already back home, pretending last night never happened.

His tense muscles relaxed and he breathed out a shaky breath of relief, So Plums fine, thats good

You really care for that drow girl, huh? Holo asked quietly.

Shes the first real friend I ever had and the one I lost. One of the main reasons I came to Undergrowth was because I wanted to see her and see if she was okay And I wanted to prove her wrong.

About what?

...That I wasnt broken, he smiled half-heartedly. That I wasnt just some monster rejected by the world. But she still thinks Im the same And now I find out I have a second heart? He chuckled grimly, Maybe I really am a monster

How lucky for you.

Lucky? How is this lucky? Stryg frowned.

The tavern was fairly empty during the daylight hours, the few patrons were huddled around different tables in the room, drinking and eating by themselves.

Stryg spotted a familiar face in a dark corner of the room. He wrinkled his brow, Professor Glaz?

Stryg walked over, his confusion growing with each step.

Vayu rested his arms and chin on the table, half a dozen empty bottles of hard liquor scattered on the floor. The drows eyes and nose were red from crying. He didnt even seem to notice Stryg until he poked him in the arm.

Professor Glaz? What are you doing here? he asked in a worried tone.

Vayus dazed teal eyes slowly looked up. Stryyyg? he slurred.

Youre drunk, Stryg said, unsurprised. I thought you didnt drink, not since you were in the military.

Vayu chuckled, Whats the point anymore? He broke down in tears and buried his face in the table.

Oh, youre one of those sad drunks, Stryg guessed wryly. He glanced around the empty tavern, There arent many better places to drink and cry I suppose.

Stryg shook his teachers shoulders, Come on, I think youve had enough. Lets get you to a bed upstairs.

Vayu shook his head, his entire body swaying back and forth. You dont understand. I dont understand I did everything I could. I was loyal, I was a good friend, I loved her.

Stryg cocked his head to the side, Are you talking about Master Loh?

Vayu smiled bitterly, In the end, none of it mattered Shes leaving me behind shes moving on. Vayu gripped his trembling hands, But I cant move on I cant forget what happened.

What are you talking about?

Vayu looked at him, a deranged glint in his eye, I see his face... I lie awake at night, running from my nightmares But I see I see Aizel screaming over and over, crying out for help Vayu whimpered, And I did nothing.

Aizel?

Vayu swallowed hastily, I I didnt want to I wanted to help But Loh, she wanted she didnt want her brother to she didnt want Aizel to

Aizel? Lohs brother? Stryg furrowed his brow.

Its my fault, he sobbed. Its my fault, I didnt stop her.

Stop her from doing what exactly?

Loh, we we let Aizel needed our help, he needed us Vayu sniveled. But we let him go The Cairn killed him and we just let him go... We just let him go!

What? You couldnt save Aizel? Was that why Loh had never mentioned him? Stryg didnt understand.

Vayu bit his lip until it drew blood, S-she, she wanted him to she wanted him dead. Aizel needed us but we let himwe let him go.

You let Aizel die? Stryg frowned. No, that doesnt make sense. How drunk are you?

Vayu looked away in shame, I let him I let my friend die.

Stryg laughed, Loh would never let her brother die. Especially not to the Cairn. Come on, you really need to get some sleep.

Youre wrong We all have our secrets... hiding in the shadows Vayu muttered darkly. Loh tried to kill hers

The cold tone in Vayus voice gave Stryg pause. Kill? Kill her secrets? What are you even talking about now? Professor, seriously, come on, lets get you to a bed.

Vayu buried his face in the table and muttered to himself,...She wanted to kill Marek... I said no but she didnt care she never cared about what I said But I followed her anyway, he laughed tearfully, a sad broken sound. I said protect the students but she didnt want to She wanted to kill Marek

A cold sickening feeling crept over Stryg.

It couldnt be, it wasnt possible.

Stryg swallowed the lump in his throat, W-when? When did Loh try to kill Marek?

Vayu shivered, his eyes were glazed over, his mind somewhere else, a distant memory, ...Widows Crag

The words echoed in Strygs ears, but they made no sense. None of it made sense. Stryg felt a painful chill, a frigid feeling seeped out from his chest and into his veins as if his blood had been replaced with cold rage.

The air groaned with a deep dissonance. The bottles across the taverns shelves began to quiver until they shook from side to side and fell over and shattered on the floor.

I didnt choose the wrong cliff Stryg muttered. Did I?

Vayu mumbled incoherently and reached for another bottle of hard liquor.

Stryg lifted him into the air and shook him by the shoulders, I DIDNT CHOOSE THE WRONG CLIFF, DID I!?

...Im so sorry, Vayu cried.

Stryg stiffened, Vayu slipped from his fingers and collapsed unceremoniously on the wooden floor.

Stryg stumbled back and fell to his knees. The world spun around him. He began hyperventilating, gasping for breath.

If I didnt choose the wrong cliff, then all those rumors, all those people that blamed me were wrong

If I didnt choose the wrong cliff, then the deaths of my classmates and all those innocent commoners, their families, their children they werent my fault

If I didnt choose the wrong cliff, then Clypeus died for nothing

Stryg screamed a wretched broken sound of agony.This chapter is updated by nov(e)(l)biin.com