“Gold can too be dust.”

Chapter 5 – Befriending the archer

Wincing from the pain, I struggled to contain myself from jumping off the bed as the wounds on my arm close up in an unsightly manner. Magic circle pummeled mana into my injuries. My blood-smeared shirt laid over the chair across me, dried from the fight I had with Blogge earlier. The sun has started to set, night time activities has just begun. My body could be in a worse state if it wasn’t for the green hair lady who sat on the bed beside me, telling me to stop moving while she cast healing magic.

After Lady Eloiya came to stop the fight with Blogge, she insisted to look after my injuries many times when I suggested to see the village doctor.

“The doctor is still busy healing Lord Sainde,” she said, “I could do light healing spell if you want a faster treatment.”

That’s how I ended up alone in a room with the green hair beauty.

The awkward silence filled the room, my top baring naked for the woman to see. My eyes darted sideway as the woman eyed me top to down, unaware of my discomfort.

“How did you defeat the corcorn?” Her bang dropped over her face and I had the strongest urge to tuck it behind her ear. The part above her chest was directly on sight. My eyes nearly popped out. Control yourself. I scolded myself. Desperately trying to hide my embarrassment, I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“I din’it.” I muttered, her questioning eyes didn’t escape the little crack in my voice as she continued healing without looking up. What I just said wasn’t a lie, but I felt nervous when her eyes seemed as if they could look through me.

“How did you find us? I was sure there was no one around that time.”

I felt her breathing beside me. Holding up my finger, I made a silly motion in the air.

“I waes pissin by,” making a hand sign of two fingers walking. And make a curved shape with one hand over my ear, “Haar ro’ar and see.”

“So you heard the beast roaring and you didn’t run away but instead came to see? What is wrong with—,” she stopped mid-way. Shaking her head, she retreated away from me. Her voice sounded tired. “Sorry, I just couldn’t believe we almost died back there. Everything happened so suddenly, I should be thanking you instead of questioning you like this.”

I wiggled my fingers and put on a guilty smile. I didn’t exactly tell her the truth either.

“If I din’t it saiv you, I won ve seahtin here wih a biuty like you.” If I didn’t save you, I wouldn’t be here sitting with a beautiful lady like you. Is what I wanted to say.

There was a moment of silence before I looked up at the sound of her laughter, like a gentle resonance ringing in my ears, her infectious laughter brought a light feeling into my heart. I could feel a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

“You are really interesting, you know that? Others would have run away at the sign of a corcorn.”

“Niot me.” I shook my head.

“Hold on, let me finish this up,” her eyes gleaming, the vigilance in her attitude from earlier had disappeared. She went back focusing on tending my wounds. The wounds were almost gone by now.

After she was done, the magic circle stopped rotating and vanished. She stood up from the bed and reached out a hand to me, smiling broadly.

“Let me introduce myself, I am Eloiyastilie Reiheim from the city of Roh, first daughter of Reiheim family, mage archer of the royal’s second division elite troop.”

I was familiar with this exchange luckily or I wouldn’t know what to do if they exchange pinkie as a sign of friendship. I mimicked her action and stood up from the bed, taking in her outstretched hand and shook it up and down. “Alan, I’m Alan.”

“Um, what are you doing?”

“Huh?” I looked up into her eyes, blinking. “Shaking han?”

The lady lifted her eyebrow at me, a pft escaping from her mouth. “We do it this way, watch.” Before I could react, I was pulled into a hug. My breath hitched. Our hands thump against our heart. The two bumps knocking my chest in return.

She pulled away from me, her hair brushed against my face. The smell of her perfume flowed into my nostril reminded me of flowers blooming during the spring. I lost the track of time for a second before she gently removed her arms from my hand. In a swift motion, I turned around to hide my nervousness and grabbed my shirt that was sitting on the chair.

“I’m surprised, you seemed to be able to understand Roh quite well, but you have a hard time talking it. Why is that so?” Her head tilting to the side.

“Friend, in Roh.” I lied through my teeth. There was nothing I could tell her, it was just another lie building upon a lie. I looked at her eyes directly as I buttoned up my shirt. “Later, find.”

“I see,” her lips formed into an O shape and she continued, “If you have any time tomorrow, come by the doctor’s hut. I’m sure Lord Sainde would like to have a word with you once he wakes up.”

Nodding, I watched her as she took a few steps closer to the door. She stopped on her track and tugged her hair behind her ear. I gulped, intrigued by this motion. Looking back over her shoulder, she gave me a small smile. “See you.” And closed the door behind her before I have the chance to answer back.

All my life, I’ve been living behind the closet. It was my first time having a proper talk with a girl that’s not in a computer screen. My face curved into a sheepish grin as I left the inn.

I was determined to visit Lord Sainde and the other knights early in the afternoon tomorrow. No one had ever occupied my mind as much as Eloiya did that night. Her embarrassed smile from last night came up in my mind, they were not a smile that showed disgust or annoyance. Listening to the sound of people talking, staring at the street lights passing by, I walked on the street with no destination in mind.

The street was once again filled with those colorful orbs. From far away, I could hear the music of water dripping in different tunes. Drip, drop, drip drop. Like the water droplets were singing. Enchanted by the unique sound, I followed the source with my ears. A red, with a carnival roof-shaped, hut came into view. There were different colors of lights floating in the air, they were coming from inside the hut.

“Mister, are you here to see Droplets Performance? Come! Come!” A little girl wearing a pink dress came to greet me. Her little fingers grabbed onto my arm and pulled me closer to the hut. I followed her through the vibrantly decorated door. There was a sign above the door that showed, ‘No magic allowed’.

My eyes widen, in front of me was a large waterfall coming out from the center of the roof top. There were streams around the floor, water droplets floating upwards from the stream into the waterfall.

Each of the water droplets carried a different color. As it entered the waterfall, it left behind a colorful trail of light. The colors evaporated into the air flowing around my direction before vanishing into thin air.

My mouth opened gaping widely, this sight was…indescribable. Just… “Amazing.” I muttered softly, entranced by the colorful trails surrounding me. I reached out my hand and brush through the little tint of yellow-blue. I felt a cool breeze sticking on my skin before disappearing.

“It’s said that only the people who are closely linked to the essence of Arcturus can see the trails of color.” An old man with a long beard wearing a blue clothing approached me. There were black spots on his skin as he came closer, followed by the sound of coughs. “I may be too old to use magic, but my eyes tell me that you are loved by the spirits of Arcturus, young man.”

“Look at these colors, aren’t they wonderful? Each of these colors are made up by different kinds of magic. They are breathtaking, Arcturus is a wonderful place to live in,” The old man spun at the trails, waving around the air. His eyes, unlike what an old man would have, sparked ablaze as he spoke with energy. “I’ve seen many things, but they were not as magnificent as the mana we use. It’s a shame that we are using them without any conscience.” He shook his head.

Like money, I have learned to not use things over the limit even when you have more than enough. I understood they were things that should be treated with care and love, especially when mana is limited and it is what gives life to the living. I stood beside the old man, watching silently as the old man stared at the waterfall.

The sky was filled with dozens of stars as usual. When I realized the time, it was already past midnight. I walked back to the inn that was paid for a night and prepared myself for tomorrow. As I laid on the bed, I kept on thinking back on the events today.

A soft smile appeared on my mouth as my breath became slow and steady.

“See you too,” I whispered to no one.

"Beware of your friend, who hides a mask behind his laughter."

Chapter 6 – I ride through storm