Fragments

    Today started out as every day had for the last month. With Daniel's body refusing to forge any kind of mystical thread. It’s hard to teach magic to a student literally incapable of learning.

   “Why. Can’t. I. Do. This?!” he fumed, punching a wall.

   I sighed, looking up from my manga. Until he could progress into forming weaves, I had little to do besides keep up with my ‘studies’. “Stop tryna force it. Magic is energy; the more you push, the harder it pushes back. Relax and let it flow through you.”

   “Having trouble?” Asked a familiar voice.

   I turned towards the speaker. A woman with greenish skin, bright green hair and pink eyes. She wore a white robe with leaves at the shoulders and hip. I could smell summer when she moved.

   “Raya!” Kikster exclaimed. “Green as ever, I see. How have things been here?”

   “I am well, Ama, and the Academy is the same as ever.” she replied. “But what of you? I’ve not heard from you in over a decade.”

   “Twelve years, three months, fifteen days, eight hours and eleven minutes.” he replied with a sly grin.

   “As precise as always… I just wish it made you more punctual.”

   I coughed into my hand. “You gonna introduce us, Kikster?”

   He chuckled awkwardly. “Right. Dan, this is Raya, Master of Elemental magic and an old friend. Raya, Dan - my hapless pupil.”

   She raised a bright green eyebrow. “I believe I recall you shouting ‘never again’ after that last… incident.”

   “He begged me on his knees.” the Changing One sighed. “How was I supposed to refuse that?”

   She turned back to me, floral pink eyes piercing me to my soul. Then, she left with a terse farewell.

   “She seems… nice.” the kid said slowly. “She’s a dryad, right?”

   “Yeah,” I replied. “Think about the name - She’s a dryad without the D.”

   He facepalmed. “For God’s sake, you can’t seriously be trying to say most dryads are femboys like you?!”

   I took a slow sip of the energy drink I had. “I’m not a femboy.”

   “Look at what you’re drinking!”

   My golden glare made him shut up quick. I kept it going for a few seconds longer, then sighed and stood up. “Well, I’ve got shit to do - can’t sit here and watch you pretend you’re inept all day.”

   “Wait, what’s that supposed to mean?” Dan asked, tripping over himself. This’d be the first time I left him alone on the Academy grounds. At least he was wearing the cloak.

   Ten minutes later I was stood at the boundary of the Western Forest, more commonly known as the Lost Wood. The place where those who succumbed to the Infection gravitated to. One in particular.

   A shadow shot out of the treeline, flying straight towards me. I put my arm up to block and he used it as a springboard to flip back into a ready stance, Midnight Cloak fluttering.

   “You’ve gotten slower.” He stated, voice overlaid with unstable magic and physical manifestations of the Abyss - which were dripping from the corners of his mouth and his eyes. His skin was transparent, showing me the obsidian-like bones of his like.

   “So have you, Kage.” I answered.

   He nodded. “You’ve felt it, right? The tremors. A Resurgeance approaches.”

   “I’m aware. I can’t delay this one.”

   He bowed his head, as if in resignation. “Then all is lost. This universe isn’t ready to fight back the hordes.”

   “That’s where we disa-” the rest of my statement was cut off by a sneeze.

   “The Changing One, getting ill?” He sounded almost humourous.

   “No way,” I huffed. “Someone’s talkin’ about me.”

   “What’s he like?” I asked Katie. I’d decided to learn more about my Master, and out of the two others I knew, Katie seemed to be the one to like me more.

   “Pinky’s… him, I guess. It’s one of those little ironies that a changeling, genetically built for stealth, can’t hide his true nature no matter how hard he tries.”

   “That does sound weird, yeah…” I responded, trying to marshal my thoughts. What did she mean Kiku couldn't hide what he really was? Was something interfering with his natural shapeshifting?

   “I know that look.” She said, smirking. “Don't go thinking my Pinky’s broken, got it? He just cares so much he can't hide it whatever face he wears.”

   “Got it.” I breathed. He cares too much? That was something I'd have to ask her about later.

   “He’s my best friend,” she continued, eyes growing far away. “He laughs when others are down - always bringing a bit of joy back into a dark situation… He loves you for who you are, regardless of your faults.”

   “He… he sounds like one in a million.” She cared a lot about him, that much was obvious.

   “He's the most important person in my life. He showed me the light when all I saw was darkness.” Oh. She really cared about him. 

   Before I could say anything else, a pastel pink blur shot between us and splatted into the wall at the far end. Kiku peeled himself off the elaborately-carved stone and ran back to us, eyes glowing a warm gold and a smile bigger than the River Nile splitting his face. 

   “She's done it. We've finally figured out the key.”

   Katie looked as confused as I felt. I voiced it. “The… key to what, Kikster?”

    His voice was low and dramatic when he next spoke. “The Cure.”