5 - Inevitable Consequences

It has been a month after my Duellos with Pele. I stopped calling her Princess after she broke our deal before the battle. She’s still pestering me, even asking her Sylph friend Ariesa Windlow to distract me, cause trouble in our Fly and Air Combat classes, which only Sylphs have.

“Are you still not considering Prince Rage’s offer to expel Princess Pele?” Aellah asked as we are eating our lunch inside the floating café called Floafe.

I shook my head, only to see some Yares on the table across us, waving a little at me.

After waving back, I heard Aellah’s chuckle.

“You’ve gotten popular after what you did to her. I guess it is enough for you to hold that you’re better than her.” she teased me and I gave her a quick glare with my green eyes.

And it was inevitable, for Yares to praise me, befriend me while Feyas kept their distance to me, still with the rumor that I cheated on that day. Some even said that I asked for Prince Rage’s help, since I turned the table after he appeared on the sideline of the open field that morning.

How lousy.

If the survival system was still running these days, I would have been a dead dust of a fairy the day or moment after that fight.

I can even imagine how Pele, her friends and other Feyas will corner me, making me beg for my life on my knees

It would have been definitely bloodier than the wounds I had because of that fight.

“How’s your wounds?” at the queue, Prince Rage sat on the chair in front of me, Aellah faked a cough before standing up.

“I forgot my handbook in the library, see you later Naia, Prince Rage.” she said in a very satisfied tone making me roll my eyes.

She keeps on insisting how Prince Rage has a crush on me.

I mean, never? I’m a Yare after all.

“They have turned into scars now, which will fade eventually.” I answered him.

Thanks to Headmistress Hyacinth’s power, and my water shield, the burnt Pele’s chain caused had me first to second degree burns that were immediately cooled down.

If I was just a normal Sylph, I would have gotten third degrees, the difficulty to recover, or even lost parts of my body, which the chains could have burned to ashes, or almost.

“I am glad to know that.” Prince Rage and flashed his bright smile to me.

The sun from the west must have been ashamed ever since this guy was born, he could actually replace the sun if he wanted too, a walking radiance. Yet for many, he’s really scary but not for me, my impression.

“I guess you have more to say your highness?” I asked him.

I can’t even continue eating because he’s staring at me!

“Are you good in mind reading?” he asked before letting out a soft chuckle.

I stared blankly at him while seeing the students watching us with my peripheral vision.

Another rumor is going to rise I guess?

“You should join the Grand Erutain Games.” with my brows a little curved, I remembered Mother mentioned this game to me.

Not a literal game, but an annual competition in this school. She told me to join, and do my best to win.

“And what benefit would I get by joining?” I asked him.

“You get the chance to be teamed up with me?” he jokingly answered and I felt a blood rush on my cheeks.

“Other than that?” tried to keep myself calm.

Someone from behind put a glass of fresh Melgo milkshake before sitting down beside me.

I thought she was Aellah, bringing my favorite drink, but it was Pele, flashing her fake smile.

“Peace offering for you.” she pushed the glass towards me but I just looked at her, trying to read her intentions.

“You should join Naia. Not unless you’re afraid that I might come back at you through it.” she proudly said.

See? Nothing changed in her! Not even a bit. Still arrogant as ever even if she nearly died that day.

“Should I burn you again?” she didn’t seem to hate my joke and instead laugh so loud that even Flofe’s staffs stopped what they are doing just to look at us.

Attention seeker.

“Aw Naia, I did not stayed low for a month for nothing.” I kept staring at her, now with confusion.

“I’ve learned what you did to me that day, in the Duellos.” she said and started playing with the ends of my hair.

“Pele…..” Prince Rage’s voice sounded so firm but Pele just ignored it, conitue to messing up with me.

“Are you ready? If that kind of technique comes back at you?” she stood up, leaving me with my strangled thoughts.

Mother told me only few Feyas and Yares knew those techniques, the combinations of elements. Books about it were turned to dusts, to strongly hold to Retheale’s absolute rule, one shall must only have one element power.

It was a legend in our planet, that one who possesses more than one element power loses sanity, succumbing into the pit of darkness, unable to swim up, to go back to his reality. Eventually bringing havoc, and self-destruction that can lead to the end of Retheale’s mana flow, which would only mean death for every fairy here.

“What was she talking about?” I heard Prince Rage’s faint voice.

“Tha--- that was nothing your highness. I need to follow Aellah now.” without even finishing my lunch, which is a thing I hate, I walked fast, heading to the library.

Not to meet Aellah, that’s for sure following Prince Zephyr, the Sylph friend of Prince Rage, but to find anything related to my mother’s teachings.

If Pele learned about the technique, it is not impossible for her to see my Undine’s aura sooner or later. And if she does, it will end me for real.

A public execution, that’s what they do to those who break the absolute rule, from the fairy carrying two elements in her, to the parents who belong to two different races who let love conquer and ruin them as fairies.

As expected, Aellah isn’t here in the library. An easier scenario for me. I can search up the whole library without thinking of anyone who would ask what I am looking for.

I started up with the history books, only to find similar stories, about the legend of Reathe and Aether, about Retheale’s beginning, the start of mana fall, of the elements’ power and color, the start of our race, Yares and Feyas.

Hours passed and I was in the aisle of the four nations, putting back the last book I got, I saw this old looking book, slightly shining because of the peach sunlight from the outside.

I picked it, only to end my long search.

The way the title is written is the same as what my Mother showed me years ago. The same author it seems.

It has brown, rustic smelling pages, that needs extra care in lifting each page, one wrong move might peel it up from the book itself.

There are more than four elements in reality. Aside from the fundamental fire, water, earth and air, there exist the other two, that keeps the balance in the world.

Other two? Mother never mentioned anything like this to me.

Aether was the light, Reathe was the opposite.

Darkness?

That must be it.

Wisp and Shades hide, flying in their smallest form, living inside the invisible Yanyi Palace. Only to reveal themselves when powerful fairies call upon them, especially the Shades. They are the ones who can lend massive amount of power, that if one will use in evil ways, Wisps will come down in Retheale, own their own accordance to maintain this world’s balance, and bring Shades back to their place.

The reason why I haven’t heard of Wisp or Shade, they are hidden from everyone’s reach!

But why?

It must have been pretty amazing to see people with white or black hair, wings, and more. As what I have imagine them to look like.

And what if a half Wisp and Shade exist?

Also I am curious about Aether, Reathe, the power of light and dark, how their attacks and level of powers differ from us.

Does a Shade die because of sunlight? Or will a Wisp cease to exist if kept in a pitched black place?

The shocking part is, the book only had few written pages, the next ones, up to the last one were completely blank.

Is that even possible?

“Naia?” with a slightly familiar voice, I unconsciously closed the book in my surprise.

I looked behind me and saw another Feya.

“Prince Zephyr…” I stood up to bowed at him but he motioned me not too.

He has a total of four books on hand, I wonder if he’s here before I even entered Erutain’s main library.

“Are you studying for the upcoming quiz?” he asked me and I almost fell off my chair.

I totally forgot that we are having this acrobatic quiz the day after tomorrow! Look who’s going to fail?

“I see. Here you can have the books I finished reading.” he handed me the books he was holding.

“Are you sure?” I asked, secretly sliding the old book I hid in the pile of what he gave to me.

“Yes. I am already prepared for the acrobatics.” he answered me.

Ah, I am jealous of how a fast learner he is.

He seems to be an airhead for a Feya, for a friend of the Salamanders’ first prince but he’s getting better after every meeting with Headmaster Cloudius.

“Changing the topic, are you going to join the annual game?” he asked and looked at me intently.

I nodded in response as shyness is starting to eating me up.

I hate how Feyas look so good and fine.

“I wish you could be in my team.” he said before ruffling my hair.

“I just might be burden to you if I will be.” I answered and laughed awkwardly.

“I don’t think so. After you defeated Pele, I can see that you’ll go far in Erutain.” he countered my joke.

“Maybe I should ask Headmistress Luxen to team me up with you. I wanted to know more abou---- about the tactic you used against Pele.” he hastily said before standing up.

“I have to go, good luck in reviewing.” he smiled before walking away.

Maybe I shouldn’t use Mother’s teachings for the time being. The amount of people getting curious to it only grows larger day by day.

Alarming indeed.

It’s getting dangerous and I haven’t been thinking about the way to break my curse.

I am losing focus again!