I walked along with Iris and Elis, we took on a search quest, again, but it's taking a lot longer than usual. Sometimes I wonder if the people who lose their pets even care, I'm not saying it to be mean but I don't think that I'd ever lose a companion like that. I guess I can't blame them though, even in the stories some pets just run away.

"Hey guys." Elis points ahead of us. "Isn't that Axel?"

"I didn't know you were friends with him." Iris comments.

"I just remembered the name. What's he doing with all those clothes?" Elis tilts her head in wonder.

What is he doing with those? Some of them don't look like they'd fit him, he's not taking them back to the dorms either, and Rainen's not with him either. Should we go help him?

"Should we go help him?" my mouth moves on its own. I move my hands to cover my mouth.

"Yeah." Iris beckons us. "Let's give him a hand."

"I'll hold that for you." Elis gives a bear hug to a cluster of clothing.

"Aha. Thanks." he laughs while we take the clothes off the pile in his hands.

Seeing him smile makes me glad that my untrained mouth decided to move. Helping people is what someone should do. There shouldn't be any hidden reasons behind doing those kinds of things.

"W-where do you want these." I wobble back and forth as we continue up the street. I don't think that getting all these clothes for one winter is a good idea. Too much money spent on just clothes.

"Haha. Just a bit further Ellar." His slightly stoic face from before has changed. If I were to describe it, I'd say that it's one of those looks that a parent would give their child after they learned to speak. I've never had it happen to me but I saw enough from inside my room thanks to the window. I'm a little embarrassed but he's all smiles now, that's good. I'm glad.

"Who are these for?" Iris carries her's with abundant ease. When did she get so strong? M-mine are more like sticks covered in snow, just fluff.

"Some family back home. They sent me some money so I could get clothes for them." he says.

"But where are yours?" Elis's eyes bob up and down scanning Axel. All three of us are wearing some warmer clothing beneath our uniforms, Axel's looks, from what I can see peaking out, a lot thinner and more summer wear than winter and fall.

"Ehehe." craning his head away from us, the clothes in his hands jump as if he were going to do something but forgot that he was holding something. "I just forgot to get something for myself. I'll have to buy it later."

"But hasn't it been weeks since it started getting this cold?" Iris calls him out.

"I just didn't have the time." he shrugs.

Elis nods and accepts it as fact while Iris's eyes and mine constantly clash. Both of us know that he had time, there isn't much for a student to do here anyways. Working isn't forbidden by the school but there's no reason to work, quests are a good way for extra money but shouldn't take up too much time. Unless they were the quests in the stories, the ones where the party has to go slay a dragon or tame a Navack.

"Here we are." Axel lifts the clothes higher and twirls his hand. A stranger's eyes flick through all of us, he nods and opens the door.

"The post office delivers clothes?" I ask. I only thought that it was for letters. I guess I haven't been to many, just this one and I didn't ask either.

"Yeah, it'll take a few weeks for my family to get it." a dull thump rings out as if someone bumped into a wall in another room when Axel plops down the clothes in his hands. "Thanks for the help. I can handle the rest."

As the three of us leave the building Iris lightly taps my shoulder.

"Hey El. Do you think he was lying?"

"About not having any clothes for himself." an itch runs from the inner part of my nose, I raise my head to prepare for the oncoming sneeze. "Achoo!" slipping my hand into my pocket I pull out the handkerchief and wipe my nose. Iris's eyes stay glued onto the piece of cloth for a moment.

"Y-yeah." she barely manages. "I think he's using all that money for his family."

I wish that my family would think of me like that. Is this what family does for one another?

"Yeah." I say. "I think so too."

--------------

After school the next day, Iris and Elis accompanied me to the library. Their large collection hasn't grown since the last expansion but there's still a lot to read.

"H-how about this one." I hold the book open to the first page showing both Iris and Elis the synopsis. "I-it's about an archer and his journey to get the man who tore down his village into trial."

"Haha. El, I think that you might need to give us a little bit more than that for us, especially Elis to be interested." Iris scratches the back of her head and bears a lopsided smile.

"B-but I don't want to sp-spoil it..."

"Let me help."

From behind is a familiar and very distinct voice.

"F-F-Fwen." Elis says.

He gives a half smile, "It's Feno, Elis."

"Feno!" Elis nods. "I got it."

"I'll help with the explanation Ellar." he lightly grabs the book and removes it from my grasp.

Iris and Elis both nod as he tells about the book. I sit here in horror as he gets closer and closer to spoiling it but every time he stops just short of it. He even tells how the main character finds a very powerful bow and doesn't give it away either.

"Well, I have to go. I'm glad I could help."

"T-thanks." I take the book back while staring at the ground.

"Wow." Elis says after he leaves. "That sounded interesting."

Uwah, even Elis said it was interesting.

"M-maybe I wasn't enthusiastic enough." I mutter quietly as I pull the book against my chest.

"Ehehe. You were enthusiastic El, very enthusiastic. Just not rich enough in the details." Iris pats me on my back.

Sorry that you have to comfort this sad sad girl here Iris.

"Sorry for having you three wait so long." Miss Ein casually walks across the room over to us. Her short brown hair curled up slightly just above her shoulders bobs with each step.

"It's no problem Miss Ein." Elis says. "As long as you promise to teach me some magic too."

"All right."

Miss Ein hasn't actually been teaching me any new spells, just how to control the current one's I'm using. All of the new spells that I learn outside of class are from books.

"Let's go to the training grounds, even though it's a little chilly outside I think that we can handle it. Right?"

"Umu." Elis shoots up from her chair. "Ready and waiting!"

"More like excited and shouting. Mr. Reader's giving you a nasty look Elis." Iris whispers.

"I'll see you later Mr. Reader!" Elis waves.

"Goodbye Elis." he says while returning to his papers. "And to you three as well."

"Ehe, sorry for the commotion Mr. Reader." I lock my fingers.

"Tis no problem. You shouldn't fall behind the others now, go."

"A-ah, yes. Bye Mr. Reader."

"Good day."

With long but quick strides I find myself outside and facing off against Miss Ein in no time.

"[Bending Waters], [Chill Wind]."

The fluctuating water ball turns a shade of white as the chill wind circles around it, enveloping it in the even colder air. I steady my hands to control the whip like attacks it sends out. Each hit against Miss Ein's shield is like plunging your palms into water. The forming of the whips sound like what one first hears when falling into water.

I visualize every image of sea monsters from my head as a child. The well drawn pictures help me with the movement of the whips. They twirl in the air and flow just like a river would.

"Thank you for the help Ellar." Miss Ein says. "[Frost Shot]."

A white bolt like light shoots from her hand and hits the ball of water, instantly spreading and turning it into a globe of ice. Dispersing my concentration of magic on it, I wait for it to disappear, but it doesn't. Instead, a piece of it extends out ever so slowly as if two sides were pushing it up.

A pointed, ice spike, emerged from the side facing towards Iris, Elis, and me.

"Barrier!"

Miss Ein shouts and a golden dome covers all three of us. With lightning fast speed, the ice spike launches towards us shattering against the barrier. More start coming out of it, a few even manage to penetrate but the rest isn't thin enough to make it through.

"E-Ellar!" Miss Ein shouts. "Do like what I've told you. Stop supplying it with magic!"

My mouth opens and closes multiple times, "I-I, I, can't. I-it won't stop!"

I take a few steps back, my hands out in front of me. W-why? Why is this happening? It's just like all those other times. I want to run away. I want it to stop.

A deafening scream rings out, bouncing across the walls, it doesn't let up. Miss Ein clutches at her right shoulder, her shoulders shake and her chest rapidly takes in breaths. Blood trails down her arm, coating her uniform in a crimson red.

"M-Miss Ein!" I shout. It's all my fault. How could I let her get hurt? She-she didn't even do anything to me. And here I was wanting to run away. I still do.

"Barrier!" Iris shouts casting one onto Miss Ein.

Two shots and it crumbles.

"[Fire Burst]!" Elis launches an attack against the frozen ball but the part that's hit doesn't show any signs of damage to the ice.

Another spike shoots out to Miss Ein and she attempts to surround herself with a barrier but stops as soon as she sees the one around us falter.

"Barrier!" I shout in panic. My barrier protects her from only one strike before shattering.

"Calm down El!" Iris shouts as she attempts another barrier herself.

A strike from the frozen orb stops Iris in her tracks, it almost breaks through the barrier before passing her, just a little shy of striking her head.

"UGH!" another grazes Miss Ein's left abdomen, I frantically put up another rushed barrier.

The pointed ice whip's, spike's, tip shatters but the rest breaks through, knocking Miss Ein onto the floor where she lays unconscious.

"Barrier!" I shout again desperately as one flies towards her helpless body. It's forming too late, It's not going to make it. She's not going to make it.

I'm going to take another life.

"[Mal Ral]."

The ice, as if gravity started to work again, fell to the floor and shattered.

"Wha-" Iris looks at the ball in disbelief. "We're saved. Are you okay El?" she asks.

"Uwah." Elis falls to her knees.

My shaking hands fall to the ground and I push myself up.

"El?"

I'm breathing harder. I raggedly run towards Miss Ein, I can't even find the strength to lift my arms up any higher.

"OOF." I slip on the ground but I hurry back up. It's all my fault that this happened.

I struggle to even get back up to my hands and knees. I crawl feebly towards her but my hands slip inwards and I crash onto the ground. She's bleeding out, I need to get to her.

An old man from the building walks over to her, his hand glows green as it hovers over her.

"She's all right." he says calmly but loudly.

-------------

"Will Miss Ein be all right?" Iris runs up to the headmaster. He saved us earlier.

"Yes. We stopped the bleeding, all she has to do now is rest."

"Thank god." Elis leans against the wall.

"You three should be going home now. It's getting late."

"Y-yeah." I say. "L-let's go." I want to stay here but I force myself to go so that Iris and Elis will too.

"Are you sure El?" Elis asks. "It-"

"She, she needs to rest. We can't do anything."

"That's right." the headmaster nods slightly. "It's best if you three go back to your rooms and call it a day. I'll take you three down stairs."

We follow him silently as he goes down the stairs. My steps are wobbly but I make it to the lobby somehow.

"Goodnight girls." he says as he turns around.

*BOOM*

The front doors into the school disappear leaving a gaping hole where they once were. The two guards come flying in, they both lie limp on the floor.

"No goodnight for me?"

My eyes widen in horror as I recognize his face.

"Hope that handkerchief was useful Missy. Hello Mal Archard, or should I call you Headmaster now that you gave away your old title."

"Jack." the headmaster steps between us.

"I'm glad that you remember me. But I go by a different name now. Jackal, they call me." he chuckles and four other people appear from behind him. "Let's start the party,."