In a great effort, I tore my robes. I ripped them apart to reveal the massive wound and bandages beneath. The former attack had taken everything out of me; my breath was heavy, my muscles sore and heart beating louder than ever before.
As I rent my clothing, the room went quiet. I could feel the multiple gazes locked in on my direction.
"This....this is the reason why I Professor Ertha couldn't afford to let me go to the infirmary. This is a rare case of soul energy backflow. While not being directly lethal, it can damage organs, twist nerves, and hurts like hell. It cannot be recognized by regular eyes. If I went to the infirmary, I would've died of pain alone."
I raised my voice.
"That woman who you see there, whom you have mocked saved my life, twice. TWICE!! She was the one to take action, while all of you sat in your seats blinded by power, tied by greed, turning into negligence. When I was in pain, where were you? When I fell into the wells of agony did you stretch out your hand? As I lay in the arms of agony did you not turn your faces?!" Did you not pick comfort over compassion, indifference over intervention?!
I turned my gaze to the chancellor. He returned his gaze, unperturbed by my heartbreaking speech.
That moment a guard took a hold of me, trying to restrict my movement. I easily shook him off.
The room was silent, everyone still in a gasp. I made my way through the crowd, everyone moving out of the way. I was ecstatic, but of course kept a straight face and a steady pace. I stopped right before the Iron doors, over 20 feet tall and as wide as can be. I kicked the massive doors open, looking back to the surprised crowd.
"The mountain that ignores the tremor will be the first to crumble when the quake arrives. Watch yourselves, you self righteous piles of reeking filth. That punch was a warning. I'm capable of much more."
As the Iron doors closed behind me, I immediately ran, my body about to faint. The punch, the door-kick, the speech, everything took strength.
I made it in time to the dorm, which was empty. I locked the door, and immediately fell to the ground, my heart weakening, vision dimming.
"Get started, quick!"
Earlier, we planned for this, Venus and I. I would rush back home, and she would take care of my wounds, at least, to get up on my feet again.
"I know, I'm trying."
It was a simple cultivation technique, that utilized navitas, but due to its nurturing and restorative nature is a great way to heal. Venus told me that every techniques is simply movement of energy. If you look at the flow of energy, you need no techniques, simply an intelligent imitation will do.
She was right. That's the only reason that I wasn't failing theory, and the only reason that I'm not crippled today.
"Keep it steady. You've watched me do it. If you cannot follow the flow, you should die"
Not quite something that I would want to hear.
As she said, I gradually began to feel better. My sore, tightened muscles began to loosen up. My blood hot brain cooled down. My short breath became normal again.
"This is good. If I can get more techniques like this, I would actually live up to the name I did not earn."
"That is a technique that we used as newborns. If I were to give you something more, your vessels would shatter instantly. Technically speaking, its the perfect thickness to just explode upon usage. The next time you want to be a human firecracker, you can ask for some techniques."
"Seriously stop saying that. You dont have anything at all? Not even a fighting style? I have a feeing that I'll have to fight sometime soon."
"Sorry, no. Your vessels are on stage four. At that stage its no wonder you end up in a sorry state every day."
"And its its the greatest save that I got guardian heritage, somehow. If not for that, I would've died at least thrice." I said out loud.
"Who are you talkin to?" I heard someone say.
I tensed up, but relaxed when I saw Adriana come through the door. I said nothing as she sat near me. I was going to keep quiet, but due to the nature of last meet, I probably shouldn't do that.
"So, I came to formally apologize for 'that'."
"What do you mean that? I had a session in Yull today. I forget easy" I said, pushing it.
"I understand that you were going through pain, and there may be somethings about your past that you dont want shared. Now I understand this. I disregarded your personal being for something as selfish as my safety. For that reason, I apologize."
"Okay, I accept your apology. You were not just looking after yourself, but the team. For that particular reason, I think that I cannot accept your proposal."
"What proposal?" I looked at her and she returned me with a concerned gaze.
"Oh, yes. That" I said, embarrassed. Nevertheless, she went on.
"It would be selfish of me to take you for myself, when you have been such a help and hope for the team, even with the little time you've been among us. I.. just cant."
"Thank God she didn't say yes."
"If that's all, I'll leave you to do you. I should be able to make it out i time before anyone notices." She got up, and made her way to the door.
"Muna, I'll see you later." She looked back at me, her superficial smile from before now gone. She wore another expression, a smile that could never be faked. A one of true, genuine warmth.
"Alright. I'll see you later then."
She went right out.
"You led her on, without a cause?"
"That was necessary. If she left that angry at me, the issue of my energy core would come up again. Its not time for that to be revealed yet. I have multiple enemies. If they become bold, there's actually nothing I can do."
"Smart, but disgusting."
"Not like you would no anything about romance. Living for a billion years and still cant find love. You're the only hopeless spinster I know."
"I..did have someone I loved." she replied, her voice shaky.
"And who was that"
"There's no use in telling you his name."
"Why not?"
"He died during the God war. Since he was one of the key figures in the revolution, he was not spared."
"What about father?" I asked, intrigued by the story
"My father was a different case, he worked too close alongside the Gods for far too long. It was seen as treacherous to throw him away like that"
"So, he was spared for old time sake"
"Yes. Basically."
I was not aware that something so terrible had happened, and quickly realized that my terrible remark was definitely not appropriate.
"Hey. I am so sorry about that. I wont call you that again. I swear"
"Its okay. The God war was thousands of years ago, yet I always dream of his face... I'm so pathetic"
Strangely, I sub consciously pictured his face.
Just then, the outside world became dizzy, the projection of Venus fading.
In a flash, I was upon a stage, in front of a loud audience. Not a happy one.
"Kill him!" "Put his head on a spike!" "Make sure he dies this time!"
The crowd was furious, their rage pointed to a man behind me. I looked to my back, and I saw what I would think to be guards, huddled up around to male figures one on his knees, in massive chains, made of a material that I could not recognize. His head was held on a massive plate, made of the material as the chains. The other, whose face I could not see, wielded a huge sword, the edge of it coated in a violet aura. HIs figure by the side of the condemned man.
The mysterious man, raised up his sword, the crowd going dead silent.
"Sir Andrew, any last words?" he said, referring to man on his knees.
The man looked up at me, even though he was held down by multiple people. A golden glow emerging from his eyes, hitting me in the chest, with great pain.
"Go, boy. Grow strong, and return to them the evil and havoc they caused."
"He can see me? Does he know I exist? What was that just now?"
My thought were scattered by the sound of the blade, crashing down, beheading the man.
The crowd erupted in praise. I looked to the man with the sword. With great effort, I tried to see his face. As his face became clearer, he began to look familiar. It was me, an uncanny, spitting image of me.
The world became dizzy, the chaos and noise lessening.
As the vision faded out, I was back in my dorm room again.
"What the hell happened to you?"