After Quin explained everything that Niohe said to her, Leyn’s mood became quite bad. She tried to list a few alternatives she could think of, but both of them knew that they were not going to help.

“Thanks for your help,” Quin said.

“Don’t worry about it, it was nothing,” she replied with a smile.

“Haven’t you just lectured me about not being honest?” he asked with a small laugh. “You healed me even after you got exhausted and that wasn’t nothing. I can’t imagine how I’d have fared without your help.”

“Thanks,” Leyn said blushing.

“I’ve to go home now, my mother’s bound to be quite worried about me,” he said.

“Oh, I’ve asked my mother before to tell her that you had some issues with your main Core and had to go to check it out. I didn’t say anything about the details, so that’s for you to decide,” she told him.

“Alright, thanks,” he said and started to walk home. Even the time when he had injured his leg years ago and had to go home like that was less tiresome. It was not just the pain of his Core he had to cope with, but his injuries as well. Although thanks to Leyn’s and Niohe’s healing even the broken bones melded, he could barely put his weight on his left leg.

When he arrived home, he told her mother that though there were some complications with his main Core, he would only have to take medications for a few weeks and that they also had some unfortunate side-effects, which caused quite a few bruises to appear on his skin. Then he went upstairs to his room and sat down cross-legged.

He felt that his mind was on the verge of falling apart again, and the time he spent in meditation before seemed helpful in this regard. It took quite a long time for him this time as well to empty his mind, however, it was definitely worth it. Meditation was the only method he had discovered preventing him from falling back to that state where he could barely formulate more complex thoughts, and only lie helplessly on the ground, wallowing in pain. Thinking about it, it’s quite a remarkable step forward.

During the whole night, he did not even get an ounce of sleep, but he did not mind that. By giving in to the pain he would eventually faint from it and would be able to fall asleep, but that would be filled with pain as well. Besides he knew it from experience that afterward, he would not wake up refreshed or well-rested, so what would be the point in it?

Instead, he was meditating as long as he could, and when he was not able to continue it anymore, he tried to distract his mind by something else. There were a few times he even managed forget about the pain for a moment -- while he was reading something interesting for example --, nonetheless, there was no escape from agony, and it always returned soon.

For a long time Quin could not make a decision on whether to go to school or not, but in the end, he decided that he would go. Even if I decide that I’ll really leave this city, I can only do so after seeing how school is... Maybe tomorrow I’ll have a change of heart. Truthfully, he was aware of how naive and stupid idea it was, especially after that the last time he went to school he got beaten up badly, however he was still reluctant to leave his home city and so tried to give it another chance. He knew that it was entirely possible to stay in this city, and just not go to school, but he did not want to live the remainder of his life sitting at home in fear that if he went outside, that group of youth would target him. Furthermore, he absolutely did not want to make his mother watch as his state worsen and eventually die. Thus in the end, he went to school as usual.

The first lessons passed mostly peacefully, but there were a lot of whispering behind him, as well as several negative remarks. Quin was no fragile flower, however, and if that was most he had to put up with, there would be no problem.

During one of the break he went to search for Aline. He knew that she said she was busy, but Quin really needed to talk with her, even if it was just five minutes or so. There was a lot going on in his life and Quin did not want to make any life changing decision without her, so during one of the breaks he went to search for her. I really want to talk to her, even if we’re on a break- Wait a second. He stopped mid-walking and stared in front of him blankly. Why would we be on a break? Did she tell me that? No, we didn’t talk about anything like that. Then why was I thinking of that? Damn, what’s going on with me? Is it also because of that damn Core?

It was at this point that he found her, so waking up from his thought he quickly went to see her.

“Hey, Aline!” he said.

“Hey, sorry Quin but I don’t really have any time now,” she said and walked onward.

“Aline, wait a bit, it’s really important! Can’t we talk then in another break or after school?” he asked.

“Were you really not paying any kind of attention to what I’ve said to you last time?” she asked.

“I- Sorry, I just wanted to-”

“I believe that you wanted no harm, but I really have to go,” she said and quickly walked away, leaving Quin there alone and quite downcast.

During the lunch break, Quin noticed Alinor and went to join his table.

“Hey, Quin! Damn, what happened to you? Who did this?” Alinor asked. Quin’s left leg was limp and several of his injuries from the fight were still visible. It would not take much thought to realize that somebody beat him up.

“Don’t worry about that, I’ve dealt with them,” he said. Yeah, Leyn was right, I’m really not the greatest liar, he thought as even he noticed how unnatural he sounded.

“Are you sure?” Alinor questioned to which Quin nodded. “Alright, so what’s up?”

They talked about various things until Quin saw someone familiar sitting down just the table next to them. It was no other than the youth, who blamed Quin for losing his girlfriend.

“Hey, you see that guy?” Quin pointed at him. “If in the future he comes to talk to you, just tell him something like ‘I’ve got my eyes on you’ to him and nothing else. You know, something that’ll creep him out a bit.”

“Why?” Alinor asked.

“Didn’t you said that if I need anything I can just ask you?” Quin asked teasingly.

“I did, sorry,” Alinor replied, a bit ashamed.

“Don’t worry I was just joking, and by the way, it’s nothing special. I just want to play a joke on him, alright?”

“Okay, I don’t really understand you, but I’ll do it,” Alinor answered.

“Thanks, I gotta go and talk to him a bit, see you,” Quin said and went to the table where the youth sat at.

“Hey,” Quin greeted him.

“You, do you want another round of beatings?” He said filled anger.

“You really think that I’d be afraid of you?” Quin snorted disdainfully. “Of someone who would be too scared to face even a kid alone? Nah, don’t make me laugh,” he said and during the whole time, he was grinning. “What’s your name?”

“Chen,” he answered. Chen did not want to be so compliant, but somehow the look in Quin’s eyes coupled with that grin gave him the jitters.

“So, Chen, I’ll tell you something. I’ll probably leave the city soon for some treatment, but you don’t have to worry about that, I’ll eventually come back and when I do... Well, let me tell you that I give back my debts tenfold and you’ll curse that day forever when you thought you could fuck with me. Oh, yeah, before you would try to do anything funny with your friends, you see my friend Alinor there, right?” he said turning his head to Alinor, who looked back at them with a serious expression. “I didn’t tell him what you did, only who’s the person to look for if something were to happen to me, and that’s none other than you! I hope you do realize that thanks to my condition, he’s got now the most potential among the youth and he’s also got a powerful family behind him. Well, I think it’s enough to say the not only can he make you disappear off of the face of the earth, but your entire family as well without breaking a sweat.” With that, Quin stood up and slowly and leisurely walked away.

Damn, moron, I guess he’s crapping his pants now, but he totally deserves that! Quin knew that it was quite a jerk move what he did, but he may not have a year left in his life, and at least wanted to have some kind of payback. When he saw Chen in the cafeteria he got an idea and did not want to miss out on that. He knew that it was immature and maybe he even decided it too hastily, but it was a strange thing how easily and fast his perspective changed in the past days and weeks, due to the fact that he had not much time left.

Obviously, Quin made up a lot of things in his intimidation but he was sure that Chen will be frightened for years.