To Goats and Goldfish

Chapter 1

Dying. Worse, drowning.

Nothing can die in darkness. Their father's words rang true, for now, Evin was nothing.

It was hard to say how he got here. Something about his pride? The details don't seem to matter at the moment. Vague white shapes pierce through the dark, their forms aren't filled in but he can see them. They surround him now, it's annoying.

He feels the ground below his head, he's looking up to a ceiling that isn't there. The classroom. He tries to lift his head up but it doesn't work. It's a terrible feeling, paralysis.

Something is thumping at his chest. His heart? No, it was heavier than that. It slams through his body, his vision clearing with each beat. He sees another shape now, standing further away, its figure rotund, and commanding. Their teacher, Dr. Church. Still talking away.

Evin blinks. The black fades, the colours blend together. He lifts his head up and blinks again. He sees the classroom clearly now, through squinted waterlogged eyes. He coughs and the last bits of water leave his mouth. Falling onto his already drenched shirt.

Church stands behind his little podium at the front of the class, his wrinkled face flashes a wry smile. 'Edvin Ourania, back to the land of the living, are we?' He says. There was hardly a point in saying Evin's last name, everyone in the class shared it. Church couldn't help himself, it was probably a power thing.

Evin doesn't answer. He gets off his back and surveys the room. No one is in their seats. The twins stand some paces away, their gazes cold as they stare and whisper among themselves, grinning.

Only his sisters remained.

Aella, the eldest, sits on the desk closest to him. He could see the purple highlights in her hair, it meant she'd been in the city. As she looked down, he could see her vision run past him, she was thinking of something.

'Well, if your brain is in a good enough condition to hear us again,' Church already starts to continue his lecture, 'what we've learnt from this exercise is the importance of precision, when using magic of any kind.'

Evin slowly pushes himself to his feet as Church talks, his clothes are wet and heavy. He looks down to see Charis, his other sister, still kneeling on the ground next to him. The sides of her hands were a blush red, like they've been hitting something. Her face looked to be more wet than his, granted he could not see his own face. She sniffles as her tears stop, it's disgusting.

'You can't just rely on the motions, or a simple water summoning trick can prove to be fatal,' he pauses to glare at Evin, 'the natural form of magic begins in the self, so if you aren't careful, a spell meant for your enemy, could target say, your lungs, instead.'

'Professor,' Aella starts, lifting herself off the desk, 'Evin's pupils are dilated. I think he should see the nurse.' Her tone is flat, matter-of-fact.

'There are nothing wrong with Edvin's eyes, Aella, now class, get back to your seats.' Church gestured vaguely to the rest of the classroom as he begins setting up his next slide deck. Aella sighs.

'I think you should allow me to at least get him a change of clothes, Professor, he could catch a cold.'

'You will face a lot worse than colds, Ourania.'

'I think you should let us leave, Professor.' Thirteen years he's known her, Evin already saw the ace up her sleeve.

'And why's that?' Church looked up at her now.

'Because our mother is dying.'

And so he let them go.

'Asa's lucky he doesn't have to deal with that asshole.' Aella said, lighting the cigarette in her mouth.