The Sight Beyond The Haze

Chapter 17: Second Attempt at the Freefall Atop the Main's Head

Deo was watching me closely.

Again, they were using Haziel Imbert's face and their green eyes were sharp and focused only to my form and bad it was.

"Concetrate," Deo told me, eyeing my slouching posture.

I pursed my lips with irritation, my back straightened and my eyes tore through the books Deo brought me. It was the first time I found out that I was not a reader at all when I thought I was. I have a fascination about the scents of books and the sight of them. It was just I have never really been engrossed with a book since I got inside the academy.

I thought that I was in a reader slump nht jt seemed that I was not really.

I cannot even focus on this one book.

I remember devouring books after books when I was younger, now I cannot even manage to get past this one page. I brought my eyes to Deo, my lips were still pursing. Maybe my lips were quivering to look pitiful, I honestly do not have any idea anymore when I have read past my first paragraph. My hands, that were holding the two ends of the book that Deo was forcing me to read, were shaking with trepidation.

"What are staring at me like that for?" Deo demanded at me.

They bobbed their head at me, their demeanor as demanding as their tone. I felt the corners of my lips pursed more.

"This book," I stated boldly to them, and I gestured at the large and thick book Deo gave me that was still on my hands.

"Is killing you to boredom," Deo continued for me, Haziel Imbert's face was expressionless while they watched me under Haziel's deep dark green eyes.

My chest heaved a sigh of fresh air to alleviate the stodgy sense in my chest.

"I do not know what is happening to me," I said, but even to my own ears it sounded like a whiny protest. "I used to read books all day, now I cannot even finish this."

I was sitting cross-legged on one of the enormous roots of the tree that also protected me from the harsh bright of the afternoon sun. Classes have been cancelled and I have decided to spend my time inside the garden,but what greeted me was the pile of books that Deo somehow got past the vines and the thick cluster of plants just before the entrance. How Deo was able to bring these here, I cannot even start to fathom. Maybe it was the butterflies that moved on their stead.

About a dozen of book was neatly balanced on the veins of the tree. It consisted mostly of magic things that I could not quite grasp the whole idea of. Most books on the pile were bounded by their leather covers. One of the thinnest books was as thick as my index finger, some were even double of that length. The yellowing pages of books were the evidence of their ancient age, some might even be older than me, no doubt. When I entered, Deo just casually pointed at one particular book and told me to read it in meditation.

I thought it would be easy, but it was not.

I was reading through about making sealing arrays that was supposed to make sealing rituals easier, but I could not visualize how to do it or even just the reason why a mage had to do it when I just did that without it.

"Not every person or creature you will be encountering will have magical energy lesser than you," Deo strictly lectured me like an old teacher, "now sit back up, straightened your back. And do not spoil her!" Deo suddenly growled as the golden butterflies flying close to me flew to support my slouching back so I would not have to do it all by myself.

With that scolding from Deo themselves, the butterflies hurriedly flew away, pretending to be busy fluttering their wings and landing on flower to flower. I squinted my eyes at them, muttering 'traitor' under my breath which Deo probably heard. I looked at Haziel Imbert's face, but I just could never get scared of her innocent guise.

Deo's mask terrorized me more.

At least even though Deo was wearing someone else's face, I could see how furious their eyes were or how indifferent their reaction though not even the slightest bit of that face was theirs to manipulate. But when Deo was wearing a mask, either the black or the white one, the only indicator of their mood was the crescent shaped lips of that mask. Whether the ends of the crescent shaped lips were pointing upwards and downwards, or even half and half.

I forced my eyes to continue to read the book on my hands, but not even a word could get into my stubborn head. I looked up helplessly, where Deo's mask was already in place on their face. It sent unnecessary shivers up my back towards the very tips of my ears. I could feel the hair on my scalp standing up abruptly.

"Give me your book," Deo told me and held out one of their hands.

If it was just me that they rather sounded they were angry, I was not certain at all, but I did give Deo the book that I have been absorbing with my mind, rather fruitlessly for the past half hour. Deo delicately tucked the expansive sleeves of their great white robes as they reached to the book.

With their mask on, I do not have any idea how they were reading the text on the pages of the book. Not a moment later, Deo gracefully sat down beside me on the massive roots of the tree that was giving us shade.

I just stared at them.

I found out that it was the mask that determined Deo's mood. The mask was white again today with black crescent shaped eyes and lips whose tips were all pointing upwards. Then if the mask was like that, it might mean that Deo was in an agreeable mood.

"The sealing rituals are useful on fixing a thing, either a non-living or a living one, on a one determinate location that attaches them on the ground of the mortals," Deo started reading the book for me. "A sealing array is a powerful tool for a magician, specifically the Mages are that often associated with different techniques that involves the matter, to do the sealing ritual on the non-living or living thing that they are performing it to."

"I do not know when it started," I suddenly told Deo, "but the words on the pages were floating around. Even if I catch them with my eyes before they float around and rearrange the letters, there was this peculiar sense that I could not read them. I have never known that I could not read until over two months ago— when I first came to this academy."

"Hmn," Deo responded, there was the slight nod of their head at me that told me they were still listening to what ever it was that I was talking about, pondering how to answer me.

"I have always considered myself as a reader," I continued with the encouragement from Deo, "but when I first picked up the book, it was then I found out that I could not read as properly as other people."

It was for that moment that though the academy have such a collection of books, I do not spend as much time over there as I initially anticipated. Simple sentences and names, I could focus my eyes on, but when it came to this bulk kind of book, I suddenly cannot.

I frowned at my hands that was placed atop my crossed legs, but a butterfly suddenly perched itself on my palm. It nuzzled my cold skin tenderly, seemingly understanding that I was bit upset.

"Then let me read this for you," Deo said, not further discussing when they saw my confused look. "There will be times that even your own mind is distorted. You have to consider every detail before believing it first."

I nodded at Deo who started to read the book to me. When they would pause between a sentence or two, Deo would try to explain it to me before moving on to another topic. I would ask a question and we would not move on until I do not get it.

"You would have to lure the creature or the person you are trying to seal to the array," Deo said, a finger pointed at the illustration printed on the yellowish paper that has almost faded with age. "The integrity of array also depends on what substance you would use. Blood is the firmest, it binds the array and the sealing container to the person whose blood has been spent. But it is dangerous, cannibalistic if I might say something on it, and temperamental, the setbacks on the person who would draw the blood seal array were very unpredicted. Water, however, was also usable if a Mage is skilled enough to seal within seconds before it dry off."

I would only listen to Deo's deep and sonorous voice. Like the golden butterflies perching themselves on my body, seemingky comforting me as I study and listen beside Deo, Deo's voice was velvety. As if with its smoothness and softness, it would eventually melt through and through to my ears.

I spend most of my time inside the garden where a butterfly once led me to.

Sometimes, Deo would be there with their flowing white or black robes and even the mask that they never take off or they would be using different faces to meet me as I enter the garden. And then we would sit under the shade of the tree where its roots also served us as our seats. With a book on a hand, Deo would illustrate and explain to me the things on the books.

There were times that the mask Deo was wearing seemed like it was smiling, there were also times that the one side of the mask was pointing down while the other was not. There were also times that Deo would not be there, just the bunch of golden butterfly all over, flying on the free space and giving an additional brightness and light. When Deo was not there, I would go meditate— closing my eyes and feeling my skin being bathed with glow of both the sun and the butterflies.

"Yieee," Bianca screeched at me, she jokingly pinched my side, "Zachriel is here," she whispered to me.

I nodded.

It was still there. The pull of that certain familiarity was still there, an itch behind my mind. I cannot just ignore it, but then I already have a vague idea of everything. Unlike before, he was the one who would stop and stare at me now. I would be the one who would glare at him, for not explaining any of what had happened. After he sent me to the infirmary, with the assumption that I was with Haziel Imbert, he has never uttered a word to me.

The mudtrap was still with me, hidden within the clothes inside my drawers. While Zachriel was still hanging on to just a stare at me, contended on just waiting for me to also explain. Before I knew it, we were already waiting for each other.

Waiting for answers from one another that could satisfy our unsaid questions.

Waiting for our unsaid questions to be acknowledged.

A step forward, but then everytime we would just be a couple of steps from each other, we will inevitably take two more steps backwards.

That went on for quite some time, it was an impasse for every person in the scene. It was frustrating and nothing was moving, but, at the same time, it was a comfort not to be able to acknowledge anything. It was terrifying to know a certain thing that I was not certain if I wanted to know more.

"Miss Griyego?" a voice called to me. In front of me was a bright smile and a tall person, maybe as tall as I am. "I'm sorry to ask this, but would you please help me with the—"

Sir Apollyon was cut off in the middle of his sentence abruptly. Out of nowhere, there was a hand that held mine. When I looked at my side, there was Haziel Imbert, or I was not sure really if it was indeed her. She was smiling at Sir Apollyon who was only walking casually opposite to me.

As usual, Sir Apollyon was wearing that smile on his conventionally handsome face and his words were slow and languidthat it makes me sleepy. Like the first time or even the last time. Haziel pinched my hand painfully that made me winced visibly. I gave her a sideway glance and instantly knew she was not Haziel, but Deo instead.

"Sorry, Sir Apollo," Deo said with Haziel's voice, an throaty enigmatic voice, "but I already have plans organized with Seraphim. Would you mind assigning other students?"

I stared at Sir Apollyon, there was not a single trace of displeasure or disapproval on his face, but just a sense of indifference. It was subtle and unnoticeable, almost it was never there, but it was there nonetheless. It was hidde within his smile and the flash on his eyes.

It was hidden between the folds of his conventionally handsome face.

"Of course, Miss Imbert," he answered amicably that it looked like it did not bother him. "By the way, Miss Griyego, are you finally alright? The last time I saw you, you can't stand up straight."

I nodded at Sir Apollyon.

"I am fine now," I answered to his expecting face, "thank you for your concern, Sir."

I almost wince again when Deo jabbed their wickedly sharp nails on my arm that they were holding that I was certain it would create half moon shapes on the surface of my skin. I almost turned my body towards their direction, but their hand pointedly made me stayed still on my current position.

"We will go now," Deo said using Haziel's voice abruptly bid our good-byes to the teacher who only nodded at us, "should we go?"

Behind us, I saw from the reflection on the mirror that Bianca was fast approaching Deo and me. I was reminded again that Bianca and Haziel, the real one that is, have a rather friendly relationship. I winced again internally.

"Haziel!" Bianca started to yell at us, in the middle of the hallway no less. "Sera!"

Deo made no indication of slowing down, but instead made our pace quicker. We were both tall people, and, for the reason that the hallways were packed with students and members of the faculty alike because it was now the dismissal of the afternoon classes, we could pretend that we were not hearing anything of the sorts.

Bianca though, that stubborn and naive girl, took no notice that we were both running to get away from every single person here. From the remote distance, I even heard Bianca calling some of her friends to also call after us.

"Deo," I called at the person who was holding my arm.

Deo's grip earlier was firm and it was almost hurting me as though it was preventing me to do something. What it was I was being prevented from doing, I was never certain when it came to this creature. As of this moment though, the grip that had hurt me earlier has turned into a soft envelope around my arm. Deo was now holding me delicately like I was some porcelain cup that could break because they have already created a c***k from a previous accident and it was finally taking real care of me.

We both saw the end of the hallway, a great double doors where it would lead us to the quadrangle that was close to the path that would the same way of the track towards the garden we always held our lessons.

"Deo," I called out to them, "Bianca is still yelling after us."

"What an obdurate mischievous child imp," I heard Deo murmured under their breath.

As we finally went out of the densely populated hallways of the building, making our way to the quadrangle with the fresh air around us and the greens welcoming our sights, there was a great crash from above us.

The building, this particular building, was only four storey tall and it was one of the building where one of the classroom wings of the academy was located on.

Haziel, or should I call them more appropriately to their respective given name, Deo pulled me closer to their body. Their face was expressionless as they stared at the fallen vase, smashed ruthlessly at the ground. I was also stunned, but my body refused to react violently. The smashed vase was lying where I was just a second ago before Deo pulled me away from that particular position.

I immediately looked at Deo who was examining the ruins. When they were done with it, Deo glanced upwards. They glanced towards the direction where it came from, hurtling towards my head particularly. When I also looked up, doing the same pose they did, there was not a single person over the rooftop of the building.

Not a glimpse of a person that indicated there was some sick human being that would just throw a vase as easy knowing that there would be people walking below it, not even a faint shadow.

It was as though the vase just magically appeared and I do not doubt the word 'magically,' at least I no longer doubt it.

Other students also heard the loud impact of the crash of the vase on the ground, breaking into a dozen shards and pieces. It was quite noticeable too, and were I was on their shoes, I would also probably be as curious.

Although there were a lot of pairs of eyes looking at the same direction I was at earlier, Deo moved faster than how a person could blink their eyes. It was like I was never there at all. My eyes automatically scanned Haziel Imbert's face that Deo was still wearing like a clothing or, dare I say it, a personal facade.

"Oh my gawd!" I heard one of Bianca's friends exclaimed loudly as they got to the smashed vase, there was still soil remnants inside the vase that was intermixed already with the pulverized shards.

"Is everybody okay?" Sir Apollyon suddenly entered the scene. "Did any students got hurt?"

It was then that Deo returned my glance. There was a certain message that that glance was trying to convey to me without saying any words, but at the very end, Deo settled on asking me one question that I graciously answered.

"Were you hurt, Seraphim?" Deo whispered to me, it was a subtle movement from them but I saw a pair of eyes observing the both of us.

"I am not hurt," I responded to Deo's question rather distractedly.

I tried to ignore the observing eyes, but I could not somehow.

It was Zachriel, looking at how Deo, who was still with Haziel Imbert's face, was holding my arm and whispering to me. Deo traced back to where my eyes were glaring at upon finding that my attention was not entirely directed to them but to some other people instead.

I subtly covered my lips with my hand.

"Was it for me?" I asked Deo. "If you answer me, then I would not be so reckless the next attempt of whom ever it was."

I pursed my lips and held the cool hand that wa still gently gripping me on my arm. There was reluctance on Haziel Imbert's green eyes, while mine were imploring to them.

"There were remnants of magic on the vase," Deo instead said which does not disappointed me in the least. It was not a direct acknowledgment of my question, but the fact that they told me that much was enough for me. "A trigger was pulled on it as soon as the target was below it. A work between the classes of Warrior and Mage. Maybe two separate individuals, but it could also be like those light butterflies. A combination of Warrior and Mage magic. A Hybrid."

There was nothing more than I could do about that but to study more under Deo's guidance so, in the future, I would be able to pull myself together at situations such as this.

But Deo said something else and, with a gentle jolt, I realized they were rather angry.

"There won't be any next attempt."