May described the events of the night as best as he could. And String was a good listener. In fact, a little too good, because half way through he started to positively glow.
'So, you're saying you woke up from a dream-like state, and everything was changed?'
May nodded to the question, which String still couldn't get used to. A boy seeing through closed eyes like it wasn't a bother, if that wasn't strange String couldn't think of anything that was. Still, he was the grown up here, the one the scared little boy had come to for help. He had to be strong. And he had to remind himself, a sixteen year old was hardly little, even if a boy. He shook his head free of the digressing thoughts, and returned to what was important.
'And what you saw, was a war?'
'I think that's what I saw,' May confessed. 'I'm not sure. As in, I'm not sure exactly what war, or what it was about, or how it was. But yeah, definitely a war. And definitely an attack on the academy.'
'Right,' String muttered while nodding, before stopping himself upon realising the futility, and then slapping himself in his head remembering that it wasn't so futile at all. 'Damn it,' he cursed, then immediately apologised soundlessly. 'Fine. There's going to be an attack on the academy. Let's say we have some time, to the attack. Not much, but some. You fine with that?'
May nodded.
'Good,' String said, with a smile that was a smile only on the surface. 'So, let's make a list. One, the war. Two, the attack on the academy. Actually, let's treat the two as one, let's assume with reservation that the attack on the academy is part of the war. So, that's one, the war. Two, the returner.'
'Returner,' May repeated faintly.
'Yes,' String said, more strongly. 'The returner. I'm sure you realised it too, even if you didn't mention it just now. The returner. In the academy. We can safely assume that the returner survived the attack on the academy, maybe even participated in the war. And if he was able to fulfil the requirements to be a returner, then we can safely assume, he's extremely powerful. We can also assume, he returned with a fraction of his strength, minimum. He might have the answers to most, if not all, of our questions. First though, how are you sure it's a he?'
'I saw him,' May answered simply. 'Not his face. Well, truthfully, not even his back. I can't explain it in definitive words. It's like an idea. Yeah, I saw him. And so, I know, he's a he, even if I don't know who he is.'
'Interesting,' String said thoughtfully. 'And that brings us to three. You. Rather, your awakening. Your ability.'
'I think I'm a seer?' May said doubtfully.
'Oh yes,' String agreed. 'That would definitely make sense. A seer sees. And you saw. But it's a little more than that. You are a seer, and also something more. Or, something else. There are two facets we have to understand. One, what exactly is your ability. Knowing that will help us better hone it. Two, how is your ability connected with the returner. Because, I believe, there is no point doubting that it wasn't the returner who caused the awakening.'
'How can you be so sure?' May asked, already growing certain that he was right in coming here.
'Think about it,' String said, in a voice so far away that he seemed to be talking more to himself, revelling in the ideas in his head while reaching for understanding, than with May. 'Go over all you said.'
May did just that. He studied the usual bit before turning down the lights and falling into bed. He stared up at the dark ceiling a long while, until sleep finally embraced him. Though he didn't really understand the flow of time while asleep, he knew half the night had passed when he woke startled. And he paused, returning to now. Looking back, it really was clear.
'Yeah,' May agreed slowly. 'It was clearly the moment the returner returned when something happened to me, and I woke.'
Yes,' String agreed, his smile filled with mirth. 'You truly woke. As you've realised, a part of your ability could possibly be only understood in conjunction with the returner. Which is why, we need to find the returner. Also, the returner is a big deal.'
May remained silent, partly because he didn't have to say anything.
'We don't have to wait for so long, however,' String added after a teasing pause. 'We can get started right away. Tell me what why your eyes are shut so tight.'
May thought he understood the meaning underlying the question. With a long nod, he opened his eyes slowly. Nothing could have prepared him for what came next.
Unlike his room, the lights in the study were turned on, throwing the room into a white and yellow brightness. On a normal night, the light would have been pleasant on the eyes. May, however, was a far cry from normal. He burst out screaming, the cries of anguish rising from the furthest depths of his heart. His eyes weren't open long enough for a short breath, before he shut them and buried them under his fists pressing hard. Tears streamed freely, as his screams fell into guttural noises that were themselves drowning in misery.
String felt like he had been stabbed in the chest with a particularly long and sharp blade, the serrations slicing deeper even as the blade stayed put. He couldn't stop himself from screaming.
'What is wrong with you?'
String winced immediately after. He felt too ashamed to apologise. His hand reached to rub the crying boy's head, but couldn't go all the way. Shaking his head as his hand fell away, he continued speaking.
'Let's not do that anymore. Please. I can imagine now how much pain you must be in. Let's use words. Describe what you see.'
May showed no signs of having heard. String was in no rush. While waiting, String pulled open a notebook, ready to record everything May said.
'I don't know,' May started, after a while. 'Just now, I opened my eyes, and felt like they were on fire. I couldn't keep from crying out. I'm sorry for being so loud.'
String was startled again. He couldn't keep from comparing the May sitting in front of him, who was apologising even after crying so hard from so much pain, with the May he knew from class, whom he referred to as quiet, almost insignificantly so. Maybe he was too hasty. Maybe he had grown too arrogant, and that arrogance was affecting his judgement. No, he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't fall from being his best self. And he would start right away. He removed all opinion of May, and looked at the boy with a fresh pair of eyes.
'You don't have to apologise,' String told May. 'In fact, it should be I who apologises. I will be better. Let this be the point from where the both of us are learning. Let's start again. In words, the simplest you can use, in the most detail, tell me what you see.'