Chapter 69: I Don’t Understand

Feli heard the front door creak open. She walked out of the bedroom and found Stryg sitting on the floor, his back resting on the wall.

Hey, Stryg. How did your last exam go? Feli asked.

We passed. So, everything is stellar, he said dully.

Felis forehead creased, Anything else happened by chance?

Nothing important, not really, he sighed.

Id still like to hear about it, if you dont mind. Feli sat down next to him.

He sighed, This city is strange, and everyone here thinks Im strange. The Blood Fang tribe thought I was strange too. At least I knew what mattered in both places. Things were different, sure, but the basic rules were the same everywhere. The strong trample the weak. You need strength to survive. Otherwise, your enemies will eventually kill you. Therefore, kill your enemies first. Its simple and its worked out every time.

Makes sense, she nodded.

Ive always done what is needed to get strong. I have failed many times, but I never gave up. Because I know what it takes to survive, he grit his teeth.

What are you getting at?

The secretary, Miss Byrel, the one who almost got me killed. She was my enemy. I had her killed.

...I remember.

Turns out Byrel was Plums mom, Stryg admitted.

Felis eyes went round, Oh. Shit. I see. Did you know?

No. I once asked Plum about her mom, she seemed embarrassed to talk about her. Plum only told me that she hadnt told her mom that we were friends. I knew her mom hated goblins, so I didnt ask Plum about her again. I should have.

How did Plum take the news?

Stryg laughed in derision. She used to call me her best friend, I never liked the term, but after a while I didnt care. Now? Well, now Plum hates me for ordering the death of the drow who tried to kill me. I wasnt wrong to kill Byrel, was I?

Feli didnt wish to admit it, but she was somewhat relieved that this Plum person was out of the picture. The drow was no longer a potential threat.

Well, Byrel did try murdering you, a mage. Maybe it wasnt on purpose, but at the end of the day she wanted to hurt you and almost succeeded in killing you. The death penalty made sense, Feli nodded slowly.

Right? I didnt make a mistake, I did what was needed. Plum was wrong, everything she said about me was wrong, Stryg nodded to himself.

Right, Feli agreed.

Stryg turned to her with glistening eyes, So, why do I feel like this?

His bandaged hand gripped his chest, Why does my chest hurt? My enemy is dead. I should be happy, but Im not. Im not even angry, theres no enemy left to blame. Theres no one to defeat. Im just in pain. I dont understand. I won, so why do I feel like I lost?The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Feli felt her own guilt wrap around her, choking her. How could she be happy when Stryg was clearly suffering? She remembered what it was like when she lost her family, the unending aching pain of being so alone. But, she wasnt alone, not anymore.

Feli gently held his hand, You just lost someone precious to you, there is no coming back from that. And yeah, it sucks. I honestly dont think there is anything that can fix that, not even magic. But, I know holding it in will only make it worse. Its okay to feel sad.

Stryg sniffed, Im not sad, Im just

You dont always have to act strong. You have nothing to prove, not to me. I know youre the strongest goblin around, Feli chuckled.

Stryg said nothing.

You know, its okay to cry once in a while, she whispered.

Crying is for the weak, he mumbled.

He nodded and took slow deep breaths. He could feel the mana flow through his heart, through his veins, and into the orb. The clear crystal magestone absorbed the inky black mana and became pitch black.

Mana is ethereal energy and therefore normally invisible to the eye. But, through magestones we can see manas true beauty, Loh said.

It really is pretty. The corners of Strygs mouth turned up.

Okay, you''re a talented chromatic black, check. Next. Loh handed him another chrome-probe.

Stryg picked it up and watched as the clear magestone was dyed a dark grey.

Dark as well, its to be expected. You have been training in grey magic, so it makes sense why your grey mana limits would already be high. Still, you cast an advanced grey drain spell on your first day of class, so I dont doubt that your original limit was quite high too.

Stryg placed the orb on the table, Heres to hoping I actually have some talent in the other grey spell form.

Dont worry, Ill teach you curse spells soon enough. Now, for the real fun part, this next one is set to absorb orange mana, she grinned.

They both stared as the clear magestone transformed into a dark orange.

Thats my apprentice, talented in the same three colors as me, she laughed.

Stryg sighed in relief, he had hoped, yet there was still doubt in his mind.

Looks like luck has brought us together, kid. This is worth celebrating. Lets go out to eat, my treat, Loh smiled.

Sounds great, I havent gone out to eat in a while, Stryg returned the smile.

Okay, but first, she picked up another chrome-probe, Lets finish the test. You never know.

Understood, he reached out and grabbed the enchanted magestone.

He never thought he would be lucky enough to be a tri-manifold mage and now he was talented in all three chromatic colors. Despite all the horrid things that had happened, he was grateful for this. Fate, it seemed, had a funny way of doing things.

His eyes widened as the magestone turned a dark green.

Ill be damned, Loh whistled.

I-I dont understand, Stryg stammered.

It just means you are super lucky, Loh grinned.

She grabbed the chrome-probe and passed him another, Dont stress about it. Once in a while a student comes along with four colors, its quite uncommon, but not unexpected. Although, their mana limits tend to be quite low.

Her smile fell, the magestones clarity transformed into a dark blue hue.

~~~

Loh tapped her foot incessantly as she sat in the luxurious waiting room.

The vampiress secretary bowed her head deeply, The principal is ready for you now.

About damn time, Loh stood up, pushed past the vampiress, and swung the principals office door open.

Hollow Shades most powerful mage sat at his ornate desk, skimming over a few tomes.

Mage lord Elzri didnt bother to look up at the intrusion, So, you finally decided to come.

Loh clenched her jaw and stood her ground, Im not here for you, grandfather.

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