Chapter 30: End

A cool breeze tickled his nose, first he twitched, then his whole body lunged forward in shock. He looked at his surrounding. Flowers were at by his bed, along with life monitoring machinery. He looked at his hand that was being squeezed by his mother who stared at him wide-eyed. Tears ran down her cheeks. “Eli!” she sobbed as she pulled him into a bear-hug. Eli wasn’t quite sure what was happening, but he felt like he needed this.

After a while she finally let go. “you are so grounded,” she said as she sobbed. A knock echoed pulling their attention to the hospital room door. Penitulus entered slowly.

“Am I interrupting something?” he asked.

“Yes,” Jen snapped.

“No,” Eli said simultaneously. Jen looked him at the eye and conceded. She rose and left the room. Penitulus shifted awkwardly as she passed.

“Hey kid -,”

“Where’s Alice?” Eli interrupted.

“Don’t worry, Dibella took care of her.”

“Dibella?” Eli repeated wide eyed. His softened again as he asked Penitulus his next question. “How am I alive?” he asked. Penitulus stood silently, contemplating an answer.

“It’s possible,” He began to speak, “That the exacore retained a portion of Majick from everyone who ever used it, Majick that got released when you used it, therefore there was no need to empty your reserves.” Eli accepted the answer, there was no way that the power that eviscerated Draven was his. “you’ve been in here two weeks now,” Penitulus said. “So I recommend that you hurry up and get out, we have work to do.” Eli looked at him with confusion.

“Work?” He asked.

“You impressed old man Corin, so much so he’s willing to give you a chance in the December entrance exams for the academy.” He explained. Eli’s jaw dropped.

“What?” he asked again.

“I’m saying, I have a little over two months to get you fit enough to take part in the exams, much less pass, so hurry and get yourself discharged because you and have serious work to do.” he said as he left the room, leaving a speechless Eli in bed. It was then that he noticed a picture frame holding a drawn cartoon kitten wearing white headband practicing some sort of martial art. He looked closely at the scribbled text.

“Good luck with Penitulus, Grandpa says it’ll be tough, – Alice.”

With that, Eli leaped out of bed and ran through the door, and begged to be discharged.