The Hunter Mage

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Bess removed her fingers and took a step back blinking rapidly. "Thank you," Vernon said with a huge smile. His gratitude caught her off guard and for a couple of seconds, she didn't know how to react but thankfully, Vivk came to her rescue, breaking the awkward silence.

"You see that you're in safe hands," Vivk said with a smirk. He couldn't understand why he enjoyed getting ahead of the child.

"Yeah, I am just glad they are not yours," Vernon muttered with an equally satisfied smirk.

"Why, you little…" He sighed, to curb the rest of his words. "Well, since your mouth is so sharp I guess you're in great shape to leave. Adios."

"Adios?" Vernon asked with a confused frown.

Vivk's eyes darted back and forth, moving from Vernon to Bess. "It means goodbye."

"What language is that? I have never heard that before." Vernon glanced in Bess' direction as he spoke wondering if she would counter his words but Bess just shook her head.

"It is just something I say," Vivk replied and immediately got busy. "Don't forget I said leave."

"Yeah, yeah!" Vernon muttered and gulped the rest of the hot cocoa well, at this point, it was no longer hot. Vernon didn't stop drinking until he emptied the entire cup.

He then threw himself out of the bed and landed on his feet. It was a bad idea and regretted his decision as soon as his feet touched the ground. The force sent the vibrations to his head and he would have sworn someone flicked his brain that it bobbled in his skull. He grabbed his head as he winced. "Are you okay?" Bess immediately rushed at him and touched him.

"You should have taken the cocoa hot." Vivk smirk was back. Vernon rolled his eyes at him. "Just make sure you get enough rest. Go to bed and lie, take a nap. It should help." Vivk quickly added as if he felt bad about what he said earlier.

Vernon's head soon felt better and he rose to his full height. He realized he didn't feel that bad, it was just that the sudden movement he made had been disorienting to his head. He blinked to confirm and slowly took a step when nothing happened, he promptly walked out of the room.

"I am serious, Vernon, no playing around else you would have to return to this doctor." He cackled like an old witch.

Vernon cringed at Vick's words but he didn't need to be told twice, he was certainly going to get enough rest. It wasn't until he was out that he realized the room he had been in wasn't the same as the one he had entered the first time he saw Vivk.

"Where are we?" He asked at the sound of the door closing, looking left and right.

"The infirmary," Bess said as if that should make sense to Vernon. He, who didn't know more than the courtyard, the cafeteria, the boys' room, and Vivk's.

He looked at her oddly but quickly understood that she didn't get his question. "I mean where are we in the building? I have never been around these paths before now."

"Oh," she returned and briskly started walking. "This is a corner away from Vick's actual workroom, I hear he sleeps there too." She whispered the last part, laughing a little at the end of it.

Vernon didn't get her joke but he followed behind her and soon enough they arrived at Vivk's workroom that was littered with a lot of writings. Just as they passed the door, Vernon finally gave in to his curiosity and asked the question that had been bugging him since she walked into the infirmary and healed him.

"What kind of magic do you use?" He asked with a frown. Was she one of the special ones, the unmagic if he remembered correctly but he was certain she was part of the children when he had joined the water magic group.

"Huh? I thought you knew that already." She replied, slowing down a little but she immediately resumed her pace.

"Yeah, I thought I did but I also know they are no group of healing mages."

She laughed a little girlish laugh that made her eyes wrinkle and it showed all her teeth. Bess did not laugh for very long but Vernon found that he wouldn't have minded even if she did.

"Yes, there is no specific group for healing mages and I'm not exactly using healing magic but at the same time, I am. I am originally a water mage however, water magic is one of the few types of magic with a submagic. Actually, I think it is the only one with a submagic but since we are still discovering the magic types nobody has zeroed the other magic group out just yet."

As she explained, she skipped along the tiles landing right in the middle of each tile as she avoided the edges. She seemed to have a lot of energy and at that moment Vernon envied her. He could dare try that, his head would explode on him. He was trying to act tough but he really wanted to lie down and was certain any form of stress was sure to bring him to his knees.

"So, every water mage is also a healing mage?" He asked, his eyes twinkling in excitement and also disappointment at the thought that he had missed out on something greater and now he was a nature boy. Bleh!

This triggered the memory of the reason why he was at the infirmary and Vernon fully realized what this meant. He had magic now but Bess was speaking again, distracting him from his thoughts and stopping his mental victory dance.

"Nah, I am the best out of all of them and more than half of us don't even have the slightest healing power but it is pretty obvious why apparently the better you are at healing magic, the more you suck at water magic. However, I don't even do nearly as good as Lae. Her healing magic is unstoppable, there is absolutely nothing she can't fix."