26

Sion stands up and stretches, his back to the rising sun. He looks down at his little garden and smiles. He hears something land softly behind him. Sion turns around to find Linea standing there.

“Good morning, Linea. Do you need something from me?” Linea seems slightly surprised to see him.

“Ah, Sion… it's not you, but rather… what are you doing so early?” Sion shifts over to reveal what's behind him.

“I was gardening.”

“I see. Well, rather than you, I came for Anima.”

“For Anima? What about?”

“It's a private matter.”

“Alright. Anima is probably still asleep at the moment, so would you like to come in?”

“Thank you, I would.”

Sion leads Linea to the front entrance and takes her inside the manor. He guides her to the reception room and they both take a seat. They sit in silence for a while until Sion stands up to grab a book. Seeing him move towards the bookshelf, Linea decides to try to make conversation.

“You have quite a collection.”

“I guess so. Eva asked the lord for them.”

“Isn't it improper to address her so casually?” Sion considers the question.

“She seems fine with it, so it must be fine.”

“I see. Strange eyes, strange magic, and a connection with a royal as though it were the most normal thing in the world. You're quite the curiosity, aren't you?”

“Curiosity?”

“Indeed. I've seen many cohorts of students, but you're certainly among those I've had the most trouble understanding.”

“That can't be right. I'm just a normal person from a normal small village.”

“Even if your hometown is perfectly normal, I'm sure you know that the same isn't true for yourself.”

“I guess so. Have you ever met somebody else who can see magic?”

“No, and I never expected to either.”

Before Sion can grab a book, he hears footsteps approaching. Anima walks towards them, still obviously tired after just having woken up. Sion steps away from the bookshelf and smiles at her.

“Good morning, Anima.” She wakes up from surprise when she sees Linea.

“Oh! Good morning. Were you doing something with Sion?” Something shifts slightly in Linea’s demeanor and she seems slightly lighter.

“No, it was you I wanted to see, Anima.”

“Me? What do you need me for?”

“I—” Linea stumbles over her words, as though she doesn't know what she came here for. Sion interjects.

“The weather is nice today. Why don't we go outside?” Nobody objects and the three of them walk out.

Once outside Linea returns to talking. She seems somewhat bashful now.

“Anima, do you really not know why I've come?”

“Sorry, I really don't.” Linea murmurs to herself.

“Perhaps this will…”

Linea begins to murmur as she incants a spell. She, as always, thrums with power. The ends of her lilac hair pulsates up and down as the power builds. She begins to glow with a white light, her magic growing visible even to Anima. Sion closes the distance so that he might lunge at her if it comes to that.

“Linea, what are you doing?”

She doesn't answer. She's wholly focused on casting the spell. When she finishes her incantation the white glow flashes brightly before disappearing. Now, as normal, only Sion and Linea can see the magic coalescing in her hands in the brief moment before it activates. Sion is unnerved as he feels a chill down his spine. His every instinct tells him that this spell must be dangerous. Sion lunges forward with a quick strike, hoping to at the very least interrupt the spell at the final moment. Linea seems to only then notice him, and she begins to speak somewhat frantically.

“Sion! Get out—”

A large jolt of electricity arcs out from Linea’s hand, passing straight through Sion's extended arm. Sion gasps from the pain. The electricity continues to fly towards the sky beyond Sion. He grits his teeth and flips his body around to throw a powerful kick at Linea. Linea exhales sharply, and again Sion finds himself shivering. His leg becomes encased in ice stretching up to it from the ground and he becomes stuck in place. Linea softens and realizes what she had done so quickly. Without a word she jumps away, in a single great leap. Anima rushes towards Sion.

“Are you okay?!” Sion exerts himself and rips his leg out of the block of ice. He touches his arm as small, sparkling shards of ice gently fall around him and Anima.

“I should be. I'll go after her.”

“Huh? Why would you go? I'm the one she wants.” 

“Don't follow me.” With only that, Sion runs off in the direction Linea fled.

Sion quickly reaches Sagax Academy. He wanders around the grounds searching for Linea. Eventually, he happens to run into Eva and Scima. Sion doesn't even glance at Scima as he and Eva begin to chat.

“Sion, what are you doing here today?”

“I'm looking for Linea. Have you seen her?”

“We did. We saw her enter the main building, though we don't know more beyond that. She was running and seemed a little out of it too, so maybe you should come back later.” Sion shakes his head.

“I can't. I'll go look for her.”

Sion leaves them, and soon enters the central building of the academy. He wanders more, not having any idea where Linea might have fled to. The halls are mostly empty and Sion is in too much of a hurry to ask someone he doesn't think might have an answer. He eventually comes across Rebello, who he unfortunately knows would. Rebello, in stark contrast to his average state, looks almost sullen.

“Rebello Faegen, do you know where Linea is?” Rebello sighs deeply, though not in the mocking way he sometimes has when he encounters Sion typically.

“I saw her rush into the headmaster's office. Do you know what's wrong with her? I tried to pick on her like normal, but she didn't fight back at all.”

Having received his answer, Sion ignores Rebello and leaves. He comes up to the headmaster's door and knocks on it firmly. He hears Headmaster Mirus’ voice from the other side.

“Come in, come in.” Sion opens the door and takes a step inside. “Come in, Sion. What do you need?” Linea sits in a chair set near one of the large windows behind Headmaster Mirus. She sits with her knees pressed into her chest and her feet on the edge of the chair. Sion barely regards Headmaster Mirus as he approaches her.

“Linea.” Headmaster Mirus continues on after being ignored.

“It seems an old man like me might be getting in the way of you kids. Just give me a moment.” Linea stands up as Headmaster Mirus struggles to do so.

“No, Master. Don't push yourself. We'll find somewhere quiet on our own.” Linea thinks for just a moment before pushing open the window and jumping up from it, floaty in the air. When she leaves, Sion remembers where he is and bows his head towards the headmaster.

“Pardon me.” Sion steps through the window and jumps up from the windowsill. He grabs onto the edge of the roof just above him and pulls himself up to where Linea stands. Linea looks right at him.

“I apologize for hurting you earlier. I was too focused on the spell. Are you alright now?”

“Why did you come for Anima?” Sion's question makes her smile slightly.

“Are you protecting her? If you were prepared for a fight then isn't it foolish to follow me up here?”

“Answer the question.” Linea seems somewhat embarrassed.

“I… just wanted to be friends with her again.” The tension leaves Sion's body as he feels the breeze pass by.

“What are you talking about?”

“When I was a child, before I had received my Class, my master often brought me on his trips to Ecg. I typically would just wait patiently for him to finish, but one day Anima came upon me. After that, whenever I was in Ecg I would find her and show her my magic. My master increased how often we made the trip as well. However, that came to an end with my Rite of Bestowal. I received the Class ‘Archmage,’ and I quickly began to cast spells from the ecstasy of it. My spells could break even my master's barriers, and he hasn't been mobile enough to leave Messis since then. I haven't returned to Ecg in the past six years. I've been supporting my master here. I suppose in that time Anima has forgotten about me altogether. I'll leave her alone now, don't worry.”

“I'll figure out if she's really forgotten.”

Before Linea can say anything in response, Sion swings back inside the office and quickly rushes back to the manor.

When Sion enters the manor, he finds Anima waiting near the entrance. She looks relieved but she's not sure what else she thought might have happened.

“Sion, what happened?”

“Let's sit down first.” They move to the reception room and take seats in soft chairs that face each other. “Anima, did you have any friends in Ecg?” Anima is wholly caught off guard by his blunt question.

“Huh?! Friends? I mean… of course I had them.”

“Can you tell me about them?”

“Tell you? Why do you want to know?” Anima pauses for a moment, but not quite long enough for Sion to answer. “I lied. I didn't really have any friends back home.” Sion is shocked that someone he likes as much as Anima wouldn't have friends.

“Why didn't you?”

“Well… I was always trying to help my father. And I didn't have anything in common with the girls around our age, so it's not like I had something to talk to them about.” Sion shifts his pursuit as his purpose slips his mind.

“But we don't have much in common?”

“We don't. I guess I just didn't want to talk with them.”

“What were you doing instead?”

“Studying. I like learning about plants and monsters.”

“What about magic?”

“Not really. But, actually, when you got hurt from Linea's spell, I was reminded of something. When I was little, I remember seeing a lot of pretty magic. I don't remember why though.”

“Got it. I'll be back.” Sion abruptly ends the conversation and leaves the manor to search for Linea once more.

Sion finds Linea and quickly reports his findings.

“Anima doesn't remember you. However, she remembers the magic.”

“Really? Then perhaps I'll try again.”

Linea jumps out of a window and flies her way to the manor. She knocks on the door and Anima quickly answers.

“Anima, I may have failed earlier, but I would like to show you something.” After the events of the morning, Anima is slightly pensive.

“Alright.”

They walk out to the yard and Linea again makes distance between them. She again casts the spell, now crackling with electricity. The electricity again shoots up into the air. It freezes there, then shatters. The tiny shards of ice glisten with the energy of the electricity as they fall.

“Anima, do you remember how this spell works?”

“You transmuted the spell to turn into ice, right?”

“Correct. Do you remember now, Anima.”

“You showed it to me when we were little, right, Linea.”