'My son, my beloved boy. You worth more, so much more than anyone else. Put yourself before everything, do what you have to do, and no matter what...'
The woman's voice feels as if coming closer to his ear.
'...survive, my dark light'
Johan opens his eyes and his breath hastens. He's laying on a bed at Roman's guestroom, all alone.
No sunlight from the window, so it must be in the middle of the night. Did he really wake up to a bad dream?
He sighs heavily, and his breathing returns to normal.
*Pathetic*
He quietly leaves the relatively big house and climbs the same rocky hill he did yesterday. Or was it today?
He looks at the moon's position. It's after midnight, so yesterday it was.
The river is calm, but his mind keeps working.
How can he remember general knowledge, like historical events and Magika Theory, but not personal information? He knows what an Abnormal is, but not why or how he is one? What was that voice he heard in his dream? And who the hell names a damn river Fired!
He rubs his thumb against his forehead, this is getting really frustrating.
His eyes waver to the empty space besides him.
Damn it, he got carried away and befriended that annoying girl, didn't he. Now she'll never leave him alone, the bumbling idiot, that's the type he hates the most.
What was he thinking?
He sighs, he knows exactly what happened, he let his emotions control his actions again. The first time, he outright revealed he had the Magika associated with the most hated race of the recent years.
*Idiot*
Maybe that's why he went along with her, maybe idiots do attract one another.
He should go back to sleep any time now, he loves sitting by the river but he can't be sleepy tomorrow. When he wakes up, he should get more information about the area and try to piece together how he got here, that could help him remember. He gets up in no hurry and slowly walks back to bed, with many thoughts in his head.
.
.
.
A distant voice wakes him up again, but this time in the morning, and the voice belongs for certain to Roman.
'Oi, what did you say again?'
'There's a friend asking for you' answers the old man, in that voice that he hates. He can not point at it, but there's something wrong with the old man, and he does not like it.
But he said about a friend?
'Hey, Johan, goodmorning!' she waives her hand vividly the moment he steps outside the house.
Damn it, that is exactly what he was afraid of.
'Hi' he answers half-hearted.
'Did you sleep well? How was your first night in Faugh? How do you feel today?' she starts right away.
How does this girl have so much energy this early...
'Why are you here?' he asks. Maybe if he can quickly get her what she wants she will leave him alone.
'But for school, of course!'
'School?'
That was unexpected.
'Yea!, where else can we learn about the world around us whilst growing up to become model citizens?'
Where did she read that? Who told her that...?
'Come on!, stop standing like that, we'll be late!'
'Oi, I am not even from here, let alone have any books'
he states the obvious, he doubts she even thought about that.
'Oh right, I didn't even think about that! But don't worry, as you see I carry no books as well, they are all kept at the church where the lessons are held at, except when Father Edmund gives homework or wants us to read something beforehand. Also, Farher Edmund knows a lot about the village and would answer any question you have'
At last, a useful piece information.
'Interesting...good, I will come'
'Yeee!, we'll have so much fun! And also learn lots of new things, of course! Aren't you excited!? I sure am! Ready to learn and ready to...oh, hey guys...' she waives at some children down the road '...this is Johan, he-'
She doesn't get to finish and they are already running away.
'Run! She'll burn us alive!' they scream and get lost in an instant.
'...he's new here...'
He looks at her, but even if he did not the sourness in her voice gave away how she felt right away.
That girl...it's like she physically cannot hide any feeling at all.
Which is how he knows she is on the verge of tears, with her huge eyes ready to burst any second now.
She really is that weak.
'Oi'
She looks at him back.
Look at her...
*Weak*
...unable to hold herself together in the tiniest adversity...
*Pathetic*
'Are you an idiot?' he asks, angry.
'Huh?'
Of course she did not get it.
'They ran away because they are afraid of you, right?, because you cannot yet control your powers, so I simply ask...'
He hates stating the obvious, but in this case...
'...Why do you care what they think?'
'Why? But, because I want to make friends with-'
'But you haven't' he interrupts.
That got to her, anyone can tell. She takes a step back and raises her shoulders defensively, an old animal instict. She cannot even talk back, her whole, small body shakes trying not to cry.
'What I am saying is...'
Knowing what he is about to say, he realizes he again was wrong.
'...I AM your friend, correct?'
She nods her tiny head 'Correct' she repeats weakly.
'As such, MY opinion matters a lot more than those random bastards, correct?'
He meant every word he thought...
'Correct'
'Good. As such...'
...but she was not the target.
'...In MY opinion...'
He gently punches her head.
'...you're good'
Right there. Right there he understands why he asked her to stay with him the day before, why he cried infront of her, why he does not want to see her hurt.
For when she thanks him with her smile that reaches the eyes, he does not have to think of all the overbearing staff he experiences.
He is just happy.