The next days classes passed agonisingly slowly. With only a couple hours of sleep, Ren couldn't focus on the classes quite as well. In fact, Aiden woke him up several times during Instructor Leonora's class. Once the days classes were over, he took the half-asleep Ren to the cafeteria in the main building.
Once they both got their drinks and got seated in a quieter corner, Aiden finally asked. "Did you sleep at all?" His voice lacked his usual cheeriness. His eyes had dark circles under them, just like yesterday.
"For a couple of hours," Ren yawned and took a sip from his steaming cup. "Thanks for the drink."
Aiden waved his hand, implying it was nothing. "What were you doing for so long anyways?"
Ren sighed and pulled a pile of papers from his bag. "This." He handed them to Aiden. "It's the report on wildmagic the Professor asked for." He yawned again, then rested his head on his arm. "I haven't even started with the report Instructor Eron asked for." He said, his voice muffled by his long sleeve. "Just kill me."
Aiden laughed, then reached to pat Ren's head. His motion quickly turned to shuffling his hair. "Stop that please…" Ren mumbled. Aiden leaned back, but kept fiddling with some of Ren's hair. "Aiden…" He once again tried to protest, though his weak and sleepy voice posed little threat.
"You know, loose hair suits you." He twisted some of Ren's hair around his finger. "You don't need to tie it like you always did until now."
Ren shook his head. "It's too eye-catching." He pushed Aiden's hand away and lifted his head. "I don't like the attention."
"You know," Aiden said with a grin. "If you didn't look so sleepy and tired, you might have even sounded cool just now."
Ren paused a moment as he processed what Aiden said, then threw a light punch which Aiden easily blocked by grabbing his wrist. "You can do better than that." He grinned, expecting Ren to try again. Ren just dropped his head on his arm. "I don't think so…" He mumbled. Aiden sighed and let go of his wrist.
Hidden by his sleeve, Ren smiled. He wasn't faking it – he really was exhausted. If Aiden hadn't kept him awake throughout the last few classes, he would have certainly missed them. He was truly glad to be able to call him a friend.
"Are you ok?" Aiden suddenly asked as a few students entered the cafeteria. Their mana was weak, he couldn't smell them at all, and their colours were pale. They sat far enough away that he couldn't even properly feel them.
"Yeah, I'm fine." He lifted his head and poked the pile of papers. "Would you mind reading through the first page?" He asked timidly. He didn't feel comfortable asking Aiden for help – he didn't like being indebted to him. But Aiden had offered to help earlier, and Ren didn't have the energy left to proofread anymore.
Aiden took the papers and started reading, which prompted Ren to once again rest his head on his arm. Even sitting straight felt like a huge ordeal. He desperately wanted to sleep. With a yawn, he let his thoughts wander. Maybe he could nap, just for a little bit.
"Aiden!" Lena's loud voice startled him awake. Ren opened his eyes to see Lena and Mirielle approach the table with drinks and plates at hand.
"Hey there ladies," Aiden said with a charming smile. He put the papers down and gently touched Ren's shoulder. "Ren, wake up."
Ren yawned again and slowly lifted his head. By that time, Lena and Mirielle had already brought a couple of chairs. They placed the drinks and plates on the table. Without skipping a beat, Mirielle took some of Ren's hair in her hand. "I'm so jealous…" She mumbled. "It's so smooth and soft."
"Hey now," Aiden said with an uncertain tone. Ren met his gaze, then slowly shook his head. He knew it from Alicia – once a girl got a hold of his hair, it was useless to try and stop them.
"Anyways, sorry we're late." Lena said with a cheerful, yet apologetic tone. "We stopped by the library before we came here." She placed a thick, old book on the table. "Do you guys mind if we check this after we eat?"
Ren groaned as he pictured all the studying they still had to do. "Kill me…" He dropped his head on his arm. "I just want to sleep…" His muffled whimper caused Lena to laugh. Aiden reached out and lightly squeezed his shoulder. "Come now, the school year has only begun."
Mirielle silently kept fiddling with his hair. Ren sighed, then once again lifted his head. "Records of Treaties With The Dragonkin." He touched the leather cover of the book. "Why are we studying this?"
"That's the next subject of history class." Aiden said. "I must say, it's baffling how little you know of how to study." He sighed. "I can't fathom how you can still follow all the classes and not know."
Ren groaned and straightened his back. "I never needed to study like this." He frowned as he flipped through the pages. It was much easier to learn a new skill – something like swordsmanship or his morning routine. Even inscriptions were easier to learn since they had practical use. He didn't understand what use learning about treaties made hundreds of years ago would have.
"Oh, really now?" Aiden said with an almost evil smile. He reached out and shuffled Ren's long hair. "Is that so?"
"A-Aiden?" Lena cried out as the young noble's fingers got tangled up in Ren's hair. "You're messing him up!"
Ren finally caught his wrist and pushed his hand away. "I worked hard – just on different subjects." Aiden's smile froze on his lips. "I studied and practiced every day, only to-" He suddenly stopped himself. It wasn't worth talking about it. He smiled, then let go of Aiden's wrist. "I'll need you – all of you – to help me learn."
"Of course," Mirielle suddenly chimed in. "I don't think you'll have much trouble with this anyways." She twisted his hair around her fingers.
Lena nodded supportively. "Let's get started."
Along with Mirielle, Ren also focused his attention on her and the subject at hand. Though, he couldn't help but feel Aiden's gaze on him. It was slightly uncomfortable.
Hours later, Lena closed the book and leaned back. "Finally!" She loudly declared. "That probably covers the next two lessons." She stretched her arms and took a bite of her cookies. As Mirielle placed the book in her bag, Ren dropped his head on his arm again. "My mind is numb."
"It'll be fine after a good night's sleep." Aiden softly said. "Let's go back to the dorms and-"
He stopped mid-sentence as his gaze focused behind Ren. "Greetings, Lady Tesfel." His voice was clearly hostile. "What brings you to our humble group?" Ren flinched and quickly turned around to look at her.
Serana stood there, her arms folded under her breasts. Her gaze first went to Aiden, to whom she nodded. "Lord Condor, I didn't expect to find you here." She then glanced at Mirielle, then quickly moved on to Ren. Her gaze, filled with a hateful spark, lingered on him before she finally smiled at Lena. "I know I'm a bit early but let's go if you're free."
Lena hesitated; she clearly was feeling conflicted. "I- uh…" She glanced at Aiden and Ren in a panic.
"I'll excuse myself." Ren suddenly pushed his chair back and grabbed his bag. "I'll see you guys later. Aiden, Lady Tesfel." He bowed at both of them, then left the cafeteria with quick steps. He didn't want to put Lena in an awkward position or be so close to Serana's mana.
Before he realised it, his steps had carried him to the small forest path that lead to the northern courtyard. He looked up, the sun was setting – the sky was dyed red and purple. It was quite a beautiful sight, even if the colours were pale because of the barrier.
The weather was cool, it reminded him of the dusks he spent practicing in the inner keep. At times like these, Yu would stop by to see him and give him pointers. He'd leave soon after, only to return at dawn. A smile flashed across his face, perhaps it was a good time to practice.
His steps carried him to the northern courtyard. He placed his bag on the ground; took of his cloak and robes, leaving only his trousers and shirt on. He moved to the centre of the courtyard and took a deep breath. He stood still, letting the cool air penetrate his skin. His thoughts gradually calmed, and his breathing slowed.
His body flowed into the first pose; then, with a slow rhythm, transitioned to the second. His muscles burned in pain while he moved from one pose to the next. His motions became faster with each pose as drops of sweat formed on his forehead. He closed his eyes as he leapt into the air. He landed with perfect balance and allowed his dance-like motions to carry him across the courtyard. With each motion, he released a portion of his mana. Soon, the air moved with him, mimicking each motion, creating a twirling, twisting wind around him.
* * *
Aiden clenched his fists as he ran after the young man. Serana's sudden appearance was indeed unfortunate, but Ren didn't have to leave like that. Lena had felt guilty and Mirielle was more than confused. To make matters worse, Aiden couldn't just run after him either – Serana had kept trying to talk to him. When he eventually broke free without breaking too many social taboos, he had already lost sight of Ren.
After a moment's hesitation, he released his mana. He didn't have time to search the entire academy on foot – he was worried about the young man. His mana formed several thin strings and spread out, searching for Ren. He had never seen Ren use magic before, so finding him through that wasn't an option. Instead, he searched for his presence. Though it was difficult to sense, Aiden had gotten used to Ren's presence – it was almost non-existent, yet incredibly unique.
Moments later, he felt it near the path heading to the northern courtyard. It was that familiar presence. With a relieved expression, Aiden sprinted outside. His long legs carried him to the northern courtyard as he firmly held the hilt of his longsword – his conduit. His mana enveloped his legs, giving him more strength. Moments later, he arrived at the spot he sensed Ren's presence.
The young man was gone already. He couldn't sense his presence among the trees. Panting, he clenched his fists. What in the moon's name was wrong with Serana Tesfel? He could understand why she was annoyed; she had lost to Ren in front of all the instructors and first year students. But that wasn't Ren's fault – in fact, it was she who insulted him. Her actions now did nothing more than disgrace her and distress Ren.
A sudden burst of mana interrupted his thought process. It was powerful, not very well controlled and it felt wild. He could feel it twirling and twisting even from so far away. Without a second thought, he rushed toward its source.
As he finally stepped out of the treeline, the scene before him left Aiden stunned. At the centre of the courtyard was Ren – his hair blowing in the twisting and turning wind. His body moved with a weird, unusual rhythm. Within those weird motions, Aiden recognised some – they were the moves he used as he fought Warthorn all those times.
Was this a practice routine? It seemed too extreme to be just that. Not to mention the massive amount of mana Ren had at his command. Though, something about that was weird as well. It's motions and form didn't match the fluid, intentional motions of his tachi – it followed his body instead. It was almost as if he wasn't controlling his own mana.
As Aiden watched, Ren's rhythm wavered. His steps were becoming uneven, his balance was disrupted. The wind – and his mana – roared and like a whirlwind, pushed him around. With an audible groan, Ren just barely kept his balance. He let go of his tachi, only to immediately catch it again, this time holding it like one would a knife – the blade leaning to his lower arm. With a swift motion, he twirled it around, grasped it tightly with both hands and struck the ground with it.
The moment the tachi touched the ground, the wild winds disappeared, along with his mana. It took Aiden a moment to notice – it was over. Ren was kneeling at the centre of the courtyard. He was clearly out of breath. Then, he flinched and slowly turned his head – just enough to meet Aiden's gaze.
Aiden took a step forward, but Ren's almost terrified gaze stopped him. Was he really scared? Why?
He forced a smile and, like trying to calm a wild animal, slowly approached him, taking care to keep both his hands visible. "Hey Ren," He said gently. "I was worried about you after you left so quickly." He was now close enough that he could touch him. Close enough, that he could see Ren shivering in what seemed like fear.
"Ren?" He knelt down beside the young man. "Are you-" He froze as he saw blood running down the blade of the tachi. "Are you wounded? What-"
"Don't." Ren whispered with a trembling voice. "Please." Silence followed as both men stayed still. Moments later, it was Ren who broke the deadly silence. "Don't get any closer." He glimpsed at Aiden, but as soon as their gaze met, he flinched and looked down.
"What? Why?" Why didn't Ren want him to get closer? More importantly though, Ren was still shivering. The sun had set, and the young man was only wearing a thin shirt drenched in sweat and few drops of blood. If he stayed here any longer like this, he was sure to get sick. "Come on, let me help you get up." He reached to touch Ren's shoulder.
"No!" The young man shouted as his mana exploded from the ground. The next moment Aiden found himself flying in the air. He grasped the hilt of his longsword with a panic, slowing his descent with a simple spell. When his feet touched the ground, he felt Ren's mana twirling around.
"Stop! Stop!" Ren shouted, finally letting go of his tachi. He stood up, his knees trembling. Aiden took a breath of relief; now that the connection between his conduit and Ren was severed, he couldn't use his mana like that anymore. He stepped forward as he took a deep breath.
"Ren-"
"Don't get close!" Ren shouted. Aiden froze in his steps – the winds were only getting stronger. Before he had time to think, Ren once again grabbed the hilt of his tachi. Taking it out of the ground, he slid his left hand along the blade, leaving a trail of thick, red blood.
"By my blood as offering – calm thy winds of uncertainty." Ren's calm voice echoed. As he finished chanting, the blood on the blade got swept up by the twisting winds. The few drops of blood dyed the air in crimson for a short moment before the winds calmed and Ren's mana slowly disappeared.
Ren's blade, falling to the weathered stones broke the awkward silence. Ren fell to his knees. "Damn it." He whispered. Aiden stood there, mortified. He… didn't know what to say. He knew that chant – it was a very, very powerful spell that could be used to contain someone's mana. Anyone's mana. He silently watched as Ren stood there, out of breath. How could someone as young as him use that spell? How had he even learnt it?
He gulped in, he had to admit, some fear.
Ren took a deep breath, pushed his hair back and finally met Aiden's gaze. He was pale, dark circles had formed under his eyes. Blood continued to drip from the deep wound in his left palm. "You don't have to stand there." He silently said. "You can leave, I know you want to."
Aiden couldn't help but glance at the treeline. All his instincts were telling him to run. It was dangerous here – Ren was dangerous.
With a deep breath, he knelt beside Ren. "What was that?"