ALL NOVEL Death defies expectation
Before they came into the class, Bass demanded to do further research into John’s powers, even offering to test some things he couldn’t alone. And eager to learn more and spend time with her, John agreed. He trusted Bass more than anyone else, and her reaction to Charlotte disturbed him just as much as it made him curious. More questions popped into his mind, and he could only hope they would be answered soon.
’I need to hear Charlotte out, now more than ever. What Bass said worried me, is it really ok to distrust someone just because they have a kind of power? Then again I have no idea what she could be capable of. Raising the dead? Killing people with a thought?,’ he thought to himself as he saw the others take their seats again, now including Ember as well.
“The lesson is now over, so I suggest we decide our next course of action,” Ember spoke calmly.
“Yeah, what do we do now boss?” Bass followed up.
“Let's all take a break, we've been working hard and doing great, so I think we all earned a little rest. How about we meet up around two hours from now in the mess hall?” John suggested, it was true, and conveniently it would let him give Charlotte the time he promised. It was necessary, to make sure he knew what he needed, to keep them safe as much as to help Charlotte.
“I'll be there,” is all Matthew said before taking this excuse to leave. The others were more civil, and went out a few minutes later after a friendly goodbye.
“See you then, John,” Bass turned to the door, leaving next. Yan said nothing, but nodded as she left.
“I’m staying here. Ingrid will probably be looking for me soon,” Ember said flatly.
Charlotte took the opportunity and stood up. Facing both of them, she spoke, “g-goodbye…” then rushed off almost immediately.
“Should probably be leaving as well, I have some things to take care of, but I’d like to talk to you later Ember,” John was just as curious about her after reading her sheet.
“Ok, I’ll come find you after taking care of my duties,” the spy almost sounded frustrated. With what exactly, John wasn’t sure. He didn’t have the time to find out, however, so he left the room after another goodbye.
The death mage was waiting for him outside. She was fidgeting, clearly nervous, but dispelled that by heading for one of the nearby corridors, almost as if walking by instinct “i-it’s not too far, just follow me.
John found himself following her through ever more deserted corridors. Until eventually, he sensed a foul smell from nearby. He saw the source not much later, a corridor filled with grime, rotting wood among the planks that made up the walls and floor and rusted metal in the ceiling and lights. At its end stood a door which looked much like the other classes’ doors, except much older, and in severe disrepair.
Concerned, John moved to ask her, “your teacher is here?” he wasn't sure anybody could study in that place, much less have their office or living quarters. It was more likely abandoned, the Gamer figured.
“S-she’s j-just in here…” Charlotte stuttered, moving towards the door. Before she could touch it, however, it swung open with a sudden force. A woman then stepped through it. John immediately noticed her dark blue hair and generally black clothing, reminiscent of the healer’s own.
“I’m Lena, and I’ve heard of you John. I suppose it’s good that we’re meeting. Not that I’m complaining about you bringing a friend, Charlotte, but you could have told me, so what’s so important it necessitated this surprise visit?” her voice was clearly more serious, and far more certain than Charlotte’s, but it still had youth and energy to it. It had deeper tones which conveyed some authority despite her look, which was a mixture of proper and what he could only describe as odd. A black dress that looked even more Victorian then the rest of the building, but was clearly still functional.
After taking a deep breath, Charlotte spoke, her tone steady, “he’s here because I can trust him, and I wanted you to help me explain.“
“Alright,” she sighed a little, “come in you two,” Lena turned back towards the door and passed through it.
Behind it was a much better kept space, it was the same sort of training room that Ingrid had employed for John's studies but its lighting was darker and the materials were clearly new. The polished flooring and wooden walls were in clear contrast to the hallway outside. He could only assume they had been replaced or repaired recently.
As soon as they were both inside, Lena closed the door behind them. She spoke at the same time, “well, where do you want me to start Charlotte…” she shook her head then turned to the healer with a questioning gaze, “how much does he know?“
“Nothing,” she answered simply.
“Then this will be a long explanation,” maybe we all ought to sit down, she disappeared into an adjacent room for a minute and brought three wooden chairs back with her. She placed them and instructed both John and Charlotte to sit down. Once they had all gotten comfortable she started again, “First it’s important I explain why both of us are here. Or rather, why that’s different from any of the other teachers and trainees in the Council. As I assume you have been told there are various forms of Mana. What you might not know is that a few of them can be fairly dangerous. Both to others and to oneself, due to abuse of power, powerful abilities that have devastating repercussions or simply sheer force of abilities. Psychics like yourself are often sought after, but they can also be extremely dangerous to those around them. Many have become crazed or obsessed with power. Taken over towns or cities, and even attempted to destroy the most powerful factions in the Abyss from within and without,” Lena got up from her chair and started pacing around the room, her hands behind her back in a still restrained manner.
“However, that is balanced by the sheer potential that they have, so they are not usually prosecuted. And are even sought after, as you have experience. Every other Mana type is different, and they are preferred or discriminated against based on their own stereotypes, both with usage and personality… Many even believe that those with certain Mana types are forced to have certain traits. Or can only be pure good or pure evil,” she paused for a moment, looking directly at him.
“That’s horrible... How can people do that?” then it hit him, it was exactly the same way people could judge others by every other criteria. Lena laughed, almost as if seeing the understanding going through his face.
“Charlotte and I share a particular Mana type, one that has long been associated with the most horror and evil that humanity can create. Death Mana. I think it’s obvious why people think badly of it, there’s a long history of those using it in the Abyss turning to terrible actions. Murder, necromancy, and vampirism aren’t uncommon, to this day,” her emotions clearly showed in her voice as she spoke now. Whether they were of sorrow, regret, or anger, John wasn’t sure, “but what you need to know is that it’s not all that death is. Like every other type of Mana, it is simply a concept. Death is the lack of life, which means it can also be used to restore it just as much as to take it away. And the choice of what to do with it is the user’s, not anything else’s. I came here to prove that just being born with this type of magic does not make us evil. Charlotte And I both believe that we should use our magic for good. To transfer the energy from one thing to another, to reverse the course of entropy, and to restore life. Unlike life Mana, death Mana is significantly less efficient at doing so, so this use is not widely known or considered. But it is my intention to revive it,” Lena’s hands moved to show the class around her, “as for the state of this class. This process, which is hard to learn, is also incredibly difficult to control.“
’That must be why this place is in such a sorry state… I suppose it makes sense,’ John thought to himself, now knowing he could trust Charlotte far more than he thought before. He just hoped Bass would think similarly.
“All of this makes for very few places willing to let us live proper lives. But luckily, the Council is one such place,” she continued, “I took in Charlotte when she found herself in the Gateway, a few years ago. She showed obvious potential even back then, so I’ve been training her ever since. Hoping that would help her not be an outcast here of all places, at least,” she stopped again, both in her speech and in place, “that’s my side of the story, but Charlotte should tell you hers,” Lena sat back down, but her hand now laid on the healer’s shoulder. Showing her a confident smile then whispering something to her that John couldn’t hear. Yet whatever it was, it made her talk a few seconds later.
“W-well… T-that’s what you needed to tell him b-but,” her eyes drifted through the room and over John’s, avoiding his gaze.
“Oh, is there anything else?” she asked in a louder tone, then whispered again.
“No! I don’t want to talk about her!” the healer slid back in her chair in surprise, and an expression of both shock and grief fell over her face, “even if that is why I c-came here...” Charlotte looked away again. John’s intuition told him she was talking about her sister, and a certain temptation appeared. To reveal that he already knew, but he feared that would only make things worse.
The sound of a hand striking a face echoed through the small room, Lena’s hand was pulled back a second later, “Charlotte, I’ve known you long enough to know you came here because you wanted to tell him. I can’t do that for you or it won’t mean a thing. Get a hold of yourself,” that same hand held the healer’s shoulder now and helped her sit straight.
“I w-wanted to tell y-you why I came to the C-council,” she rubbed her face as she spoke, “it’s ab-bout my s-sister… For a long time, I was able to hide my abilities from everyone with her help, but two months before I found myself in the Gateway s-she d-d-died. There was no way I could hide it anymore, not after what h-happened to her…” John saw a familiar expression on her face. He knew it well, it was one of pain and anger, both twisting on her face like a pair of venomous serpents. Charlotte mumbled something he could not hear and then continued after a short pause, “she was a b-brilliant alchemist, and she knew how to use that to hide my powers. And after she… Was gone, I couldn’t m-manage on my own, and I-I r-ran,” nothing further was necessary, John knew that.
“You don’t need to continue Charlotte,” he said in the softest tone he could muster. Somehow, John understood exactly what was going over her.
*’I could never understand what she went through, but I know that look… I’ve had that look,’* in his own thoughts, he was sure of that.
Lena was not so forgiving, “is that all you wanted to say, Charlie?” her tone was soft, but the meaning behind the words pressured her to keep going.
“Y-you know I hate being called t-that…” she almost seemed to pout, “that’s all I wanted to tell him, r-really,” her cheeks were flushed slightly as well, and she got up from her chair. Walking backwards as if trying to escape.
Something inside John told him to get up and go to her, and as he neared Charlotte he reached out to her gently. Touching her shoulder as she fidgeted even more nervously. Her fingers toying with each other in an attempt to calm her down.
“W-what are you doing J-John?” the healer was immediately surprised, and as John pulled himself closer and put his arms around her she became more so. A high pitched sound leaving her mouth that was somewhere between surprised, uncomfortable, and grateful.
“It’ll be ok Charlotte, you don’t need to say anymore. And there’s nothing for you to worry about now, nobody is going to hurt you again, I promise.”