COMPLETED Remembrance of Self | Fantasy | LGBTQ

Chapter 21 - Part 2

Haiden bolted up straight in his bed the moment the sun struck the sole window in his room. He woke up with a splitting headache. He barely got any shut eye the night before. All he could think of was the impending pairing of the Ashen and Wielder. It was happening much sooner than anyone anticipated. Maree had told them that the Headmistress had let it slip, that's why he knew. They all agreed it was because of the upcoming war with Bahal, if any Wielders were to enlist in the army prematurely they wanted them to be protected by a skilled Ashen, after all most of the young Wielders at this Academy were the offspring of the most wealthy people in the Empire.

He had been avoiding the discussion with Tasgal because it meant to discuss his outlandish plan of enrolling into the army as soon as Haiden got his title of Esquire. There was no doubt in Tasgal's mind that he would come out victorious even against Bras or other Ashen, but Haiden wasn't so sure. He feared how much Bras had grown, he felt his power multiple times, and in one of those times were it not for Camila, he was certain that Bras would have defeated him.

Haiden pushed all dark thoughts aside and hastily got dressed. He needed to talk to the Ashen now, before the ceremony began. So, at the crack of daylight he planned on sneaking into Tasgal's room.

He was beginning to get the hang of his cloaking spell. Screech would freak out every time he would use it. The creature that had such vast Wielding knowledge, that taught Haiden so much, had no inkling of how his spell worked, and if he was honest, neither did he. The words of Master Rwoy clang to his mind; He was an innate, he used his imagination, his intent to alter the world around him, with no better knowledge of the world. It was dangerous, indeed, he had no way of knowing what effects the spell might have outside of hiding his presence even from the spirit that bonded to his very soul. It scared Haiden, but it was the only way to move freely around the grounds so that no one could suspect anything.

And so, Haiden pulled on his Fios, it flowed strong and steady, seemingly limitless. He felt the static flow around him as he imagined himself disappearing into the shadows, no sound, no light, no life. He concentrated until there was nothing left of him. His heartbeat became just an echo of a long forgotten beat, his breath was still, his mind was empty. But, now, unlike the time in the forest and in the Headmistress' office, he forced himself to open his eyes with his mind and see the world.

He didn't see as one would, with colors and depth, but mere forms of blues in the empty darkness of space. There was a limit on how far he could see and had to guide himself by what was near, trying to recognize the shapes of the buildings, shrubs, the statues and landmarks of the academy grounds until he arrived at the Ashen dorms.

The building was just lines of blues, shapes, vaguely similar to those he remembered. The good thing was that he could also see people. They were beacons of blue light, shapeless and deform, and somehow he knew who they were just by looking at their light. This allowed Haiden to bob and weave through the crowd of early risers, servants that would swiftly do their jobs then disappear.

Haiden counted the doors until he reached the fifth one on the third floor, Tasgal's room. He knew that Tasgal would be asleep at that moment, and so he mentally took a deep breath and tried to open the door handle.

It was unlocked. How careless he thought and paused, expecting Screech to say anything, but then remembered that Screech could not reach him in this state.

Haiden walked in slowly, in the cramp room. His footsteps made the floorboards creak softly.

In front of him, Tasgal, laid asleep with half of his naked body outside the thin blanket.

Haiden immediately broke concentration, revealing his presence. It wasn't the upper half that was exposed to the morning sun.

Blood quickly rushed away from his head to his lower parts and he turned the other side.