The Shadow of Eudaimonia

Chapter 17: Midnight Darkness

2AM. Most people are asleep by now. The night was pencil sketch dark until a bright purple light illuminated an obscured area near Calvin's school. And from that light Calvin emerged.

Earlier they planned for Ophelia to go ahead so she could translocate Calvin after she confirms that it was safe. While Lazzi was left at their hideout to rest for a while. They figured that it's better for Lazzi to stay. When things go south, Ophelia couldn't handle two liabilities at once. "Why are we here?" Calvin asked as soon as he realized where they were.

"Shh! Lower your voice. I don't exactly have memorized this place okay? So, I had to transport you here."

"Thank God you kept my clothes this time," he quipped trying to lighten the mood between her after their little argument earlier. It was perhaps years since Calvin tried to make friends.

"Yeah, I have to save my appetite."

Calvin frowned and squinted his eyes.

"So, where's your house?" Ophelia asked with a hint of authority. It reminded him of Mrs. Rodriguez's manner of asking him questions during class.

Calvin pointed to a street ahead. "A few blocks from here."

"Good, remember. Just one suspicious thing and we're out of here. Okay?" Before Calvin could answer, Ophelia had stridden away, her white-blonde hair swaying with every step. Calvin sighed and tried to catch up with his weak legs. Naturally, knowing that he has powers to control luck, he tried to wish his legs to heal just like how he wished for the rain to stop earlier and how he asked for a distraction to escape Ortus but it didn't work. Lazzi explained back in their hideout that his power was to boost the probability of things to occur but at a certain limit.

"You can't just change the natural properties of things like change the color of leaves or create gold out of thin air." Lazzi's voice resonated on his head. "You need to bridge with Ortus to do that."

"H-hey, Ophelia, this is embarrassing but can't we just fly there?" he yelled as Ophelia had gained a good distance within a short period of time.

"No. And be quiet!"

"Why not? I mean Lazzi said you can fly."

"Shut up. I can't, okay?"

"So, you couldn't fly?"

"I can!" Ophelia snapped. "I can. But not yet, okay? I'm still trying. My Obelisk hasn't fully matured yet."

"I see." Calvin paused for a second. Maybe it was just him but Calvin was finding it difficult to befriend Ophelia. "So, you have telekinesis and you can teleport things towards you, right?"

"Yes."

"Can you teleport others away?"

"No, unless I am bridged with Ortus."

"I see. How about creating a portal of some sort?"

"I'm not as talented as Shijian to do all sort of stuff all of a sudden, okay?"

Calvin went silent for a second. "Hey it's okay. I mean even so, you have amazing skills. Unlike me, I don't even fully understand my power yet. I'm not judging."

Ophelia continued to walk but this time she tried to do it as slowly as she could.

"What happens if we Bridge?"

"I don't know." She said flatly.

Then they were quiet again. Calvin was struck with disdain. He knew when a person didn't want to talk since he himself had shut the world away. This was his karma perhaps. Now that he's trying, no one wanted to connect with him anymore. He was about to give-up when Ophelia answered.