On Bated Breath We Wait

Chapter 10 (part 1)

As I laid there in the darkness I wondered, did I mess up? Did I die? Time felt fleeting, I couldn’t tell when one thought ended and the next began. Was this it? Was this what it’s like after you die? Fear and despair soon crept into my mind, but then hope. A blinding white light soon filled my vision. As far as I could see was white, an endless void of white and I heard a voice calling to me.

“Nikos, focus on my voice.” It said. As I tried to listen for it again, I regained my senses. It felt like I was touching nothing, not even where I stood and then I realized. I was standing and I thought the worst, a moment ago I was in my room and I remember the pain and collapsing. How could I be standing, nothing made sense. Then I heard the voice again, “Turn around.” As I turned around I saw a woman dressed in a long flowing grey dress. She looked into my eyes and joy overwhelmed her, tears ran down her face as she pursed her lips together holding back what she wanted to say.

I let her have a moment before asking, “Sorry, but can I asked why you are crying?”

“Sorry. Sorry. It’s just…” She paused to wipe the tears from her face, “I never thought I would get to meet you and yet here you are.”

Awkwardly I responded, “Should I know you?”

Worry filled her voice, “Yes. Yes. Your father should have told you everything about me. Did he not?”

“No, he did not I don’t know who you are,” I admitted.

She straighten out her clothes before saying, “I am Kyra Laury, your mother.”

“Mother, how? I was told you died. Wait, I’m not….” I began to worry, were my original thoughts true?

She put a hand on my shoulder, “No. No, you aren’t dead only I am. I think you will understand if I explain what this place is.” Relief washed over me. “This is inside the crystal around your neck. While I cannot say all Crux Crystals are like this; but it seems like our Black one has a bit of a mind of its own. I’ve spent my time here trying to understand its whims but to no avail. But I do know this… while I am here, I am only a shadow of the real Kyra Laury. During my time with the crystal it took in everything that was me, creating this copy. I am able to do everything she could. I have her memories, her mannerisms and even her thoughts. I believe that the crystal made this copy of myself to do something. Now that you are here in front of me, its clear what it wanted me to do; I am to be your teacher.”

Puzzled I asked, “Teacher? What would you be teaching me?”

Her eyes looked me up and down, “What that book isn’t teaching you. Fitness or rather, I would be helping you strengthen your body. The crystal only gives me brief instances of what is happening outside. I never know when, and I never know what it will show me. Since the crystal has been in your possession I have your time with my father, your k********g, and lastly when you are practicing magic. I can tell you why or rather what happened when you were practicing magic; it was because your body hit a critical point where it couldn’t contain that level of mana. Think of it like this… your body is like a pipe. Mana can go into your body but also exit, but there is a limit. Too much mana coming into your body or too much mana leaving your body can damage it. If I were to place a number to how much more mana you had leaving your body than it can handle, I would say at least ten times.”

I interjected, “But the book said…”

She stopped me, “Yes, yes the book said. But the book is wrong, or rather I don’t think the book ever expected someone to be using a Black Crux Crystal. The only way to increase your limit is to also physically train. That is something Roxie should have mentioned. Before we get started with your training in here, I’m going to also explain how you can do what we are doing. Okay?” I nodded, ”Just like how you are using the crystal to train magic we can do the same in here; but it will be a bit different. While you are asleep like you are right now, the crystal is healing and repairing your body bit by bit. By the time you wake up you will feel as healthy as you have ever been. I don’t know the limits of what it can heal, but I have in idea. So with that in mind we will use that to your advantage. With physical training in here we can hope that it will reflect in the real world; this way it will be as if you are training round the clock.”

I couldn’t help but to ask, “Round the clock? Wouldn’t the mental exhaustion get to me?”

“That’s the best part, your self in here is only a copy of your actual self. Don’t forget that this crystal was once mine long before it was yours,” she smiled.

Frustrated with the lack of actual answers I thought I was getting I moved on, “Okay, then what’s first in your training?”

“First, we will start with running; I need to understand what your stamina is like,” she explained.

As I looked around at the void of white around me I asked, “Where?”

With a smile she told me, “Just start running, this place might seem like a void but really it’s not. You could leave something right here and then run in any direction for hours, but the moment you wanted to return to whatever it is that you left you would be instantly back here. So we will have you run until either you can’t anymore or I say otherwise.”

I protested, “That’s insane! Running until I’m exhausted sounds like it would take forever.”

She retorted, “Well, then getting running. I’ll follow along.”

I could tell she was mad, so I started running. It felt like minutes had soon passed but it was hard to tell, nothing was in here. Nor was I making any sound as I ran, but as I noticed I wasn’t making sound, I soon heard my own footsteps. Confused, I turned around to asked her about it, “Why was it only went I noticed that I wasn’t making sound did I start?” Only then did I notice she wasn’t running with me but almost floating, before she could answer I also asked, “What? How? Are you floating?”

She started to laugh, “To answer your first question, things only exist in here if you want them too. Secondly, yes I am floating. I’ve been floating the whole time. Don’t stop running please.” I turned around and resumed running. I don’t know how long I lasted, but she ended up stopping me, “You did well. I doubt many of people could outrun you, but anyone who is magically trained would leave you in the dust.”

As I leaned over to catch my breath echoed, “In the dust, really?” I continued to pant, “How. Do. I. Improve?”

She explained, “You already are. Physical training in here is a bit different. Give me a moment.” She closed her eyes for a moment for saying, “You ran for about six hours, impossible in the real world without magic. However when you return to your body it will be as if it did that work, but since the crystal is healing you, it will get all of the benefits with none of the downsides.”

”It’s been six hours,” I shouted!

She reassured me, “No, it’s been six hours in here. Out there it’s been maybe twenty minutes, thirty tops.”

I was puzzled, “Wait, what?”

“Oh, that’s what I forgot to explain! Time works differently in here. I’m not exactly sure but large amounts of time in here sometimes are only minutes out there. But I can tell you might already be waking up. It doesn’t feel like you are completely here. I’ll expecting you to come back the next time you sleep and we can pick up then.”

She was right, both she and the endless void of white faded from my vision until all I could see was black. The feeling of the cold stone floor was the first thing to come back to me, as I opened my eyes I saw something floating in the air nearby me. But before my eyes could adjust and make out what I was looking at Sir Damian connected with me commenting, “Dumbass! You almost killed yourself, didn’t you hear me yelling at you to stop! YOU CANNOT USE MORE MANA THAN YOU HAVE!”

I could only respond with, “Huh.” As the thing in front of me had my full attention. It was maybe five or so inches tall with a humanoid form. From its back had two sets of wings that were as clear as glass and a faint blue light emitted from its body.

It spoke, “Hi. I’d like to make a deal. Your mana was too yummy, I want more.”

Sir Damian screamed, “Don’t do it Nikos! Nothing good ever comes from them!”

“I don’t understand…” I muttered.

It’s face turned and looked at the book, “Oh! Silly, me. You don’t know what I am yet.” It bowed before saying, “I am a book fairy. We live in books we like and seek out deals for what we want. I want your mana. In exchange I offer you my knowledge on the context of that book. I know everything it does and more.”

Sir Damian was still screaming at me not to trust it. But I still wasn’t sure, “Sir Damian. What do you mean by, nothing good ever comes from them?”

Sir Damian paused and protested but stopped quickly as he realized I only wanted to understand, “Book fairies as it said live in books and seek out deals. However they don’t explain the details do the deal. This one asks for your mana but doesn’t say how much. They will take and take until they get exactly what they want even if its kills you.” As Sir Damian explained I saw that the fairy started to look up to avoid eye contact, almost like it knew what Sir Damian had said.

I thought, what if I controlled the terms and asked, “About that deal….”

It‘s head snapped back towards me and looked me dead in the eyes, “Yes!?!?” It beamed with joy at the mention of the deal.

I inquired to it, “I want to accept your deal but you were too vague. How much mana do you want?”

It formed an eerie smile and said, “All of it. I want more. No, I need more.”

It fell for my trap; I knew it wanted my mana but didn’t know how badly. I smiled, “Oh. You want it that badly, ay. I can’t give you all of my mana as I would die and you wouldn’t be able to get more. I propose a different deal. In exchange for your knowledge, I will give you mana. But the amount of mana will be determined by how much mana you want and how much I’m willing to give.”

It rubbed its chin, lost in thought about the deal I offered, “Hmmm, I don’t normally let the terms of my deals to be made by others.

But, your mana is too delicious to not strike a deal for. We have a deal but I would like to add one clause if I may.”

“Go on…” now curious on what it wanted to add.

“I would like a small amount per day, it would be nothing compared to what you just gave me,” it asked.

“Small isn’t a good enough to understand how much you want. How about this, I’ll offer you some mana, like I did with the book. You can take as little or as much as you want; however if I think its too much I will not accept your additional clause.” I raised my hands towards it, my palms inches away from it.

It flew closer and leaned its whole body again my palm. I felt a small pull at my mana before it backed away and asked, “Is that good? I would love more but…. But.” It was struggled to find the words it wanted to say, with the offering of my mana it had changed from a proud and confident creature to that of a shy one who was afraid to speak its mind.

“Deal.” I said proudly.

Sir Damian chimed in, “Well, that’s a first.”