Chapter 29 - Twenty-eight

"So how are you feeling?" She asked after we shook it out.

"Okay. I'm okay." I said and got up.

"You sure?" She asked still seated.

"Yeah, i feel okay. Let's go back in before they want you back."

As we sat down, they all looked up and Scarface did something i couldn't catch prompting Tiyane to hiss at her. Thabo gave me that look and i ignired it and we kept on doing math.

We finished math, then after a short break. Did chemistry which was supplemented by Material science for us who did engineering.

We took another break and by two in the morning, we were done with English last and as we packed, my phone started ringing.

"Anyeong!" I said in Korean with a childish tone. Everyone looked at me and I went outside to speak to Eun Tak.

She had calked to tell me that adjusshi Hong and unni Allie just left and she wanted to see them and me again and wanted us to go for ice cream too. I promised i would but just, i will come when the sentinel she was calling from told her i was coming.

Promises. Before long i had to wrettle plans with her about me not coming this weekend. Or by the month end for christmas holidays.

I ended up promising to take her and her grandmother out to dinner on christmas and to an amusement park for new year.

I believed Shay now when she told me I loved Eun Tak more than I loved Oliver.

I hung up after seven full minutes of arguing with a kid in korean over christmas holidays and I wondered if I'll still be active and not tired ten years from now on when her purpose really started.

Maybe I should start her keeper train... I vowed to let them all enjoy their childhood and early teen years before I entrusted sections of the earth to them after what happened to the dark swan three years ago. I can teach them self defence but i cannot put them to work. I reminded myself. the dark swan was a mistake I wasn't going to repeat.

"Who was that?" Tiyane asked and I told her the truth. Park Eun Tak. A little sister of mine.

"But you were speaking korean."

"I know a few words of Korean." I joked. "And that little kid is seven and she has already given me ultimatums for christmas."

"Sister?"

"She's adopted." i looked around for the others but i heard their laughter behind the class. guess they left already.

"So how many siblings do you have?"

"Blood, only one. But adopted and sworn, enough to drive one crazy. You?"

"I'm the only child. But i have a lot of cousins i grew up with."

"How's being the only child?"

"Stressful and lonely." She started. "But, there was a time when it was fun. When i was young. Mom then didn't work and i was carefree. Then dad became a soldier, but since his salary wasn't enough to pay for my medicine. Mom had to work and i spent most of my healthy days with granny but she died four years ago. She used to be my everything, now all i have is expectations and dreams to fullfil. I miss her."

"I'm sorry."

"She was a sangoma." She looked at me as she mentioned that word. South african Sharman. "She believed in past lives and witchcraft. She probably is the one who made me believe in fate. She used to say that i was sick because I broke someone's heart and if that heart was mended, i would get better."

"So did she tell you who?" I asked. If she was Kiara, then her grandmother was a good diviner who'd make Princes Sali proud.

"No. She just said that person is the only person i have to marry if I met him." As she said it. It both hurt and gave me a little hope that maybe she was Kiara. But she seemed a bit hurt by the fact that she had to marry this specific person.

"So, do you think you might? Marry him if you met him?"

"If he's a great guy then yes. I might believe in one true love, but i want to be his also, not just fate."

"I thought i was the only one who believed in past lives and one true love." I admitted. "Seems like you do too."

"Oh, i do. But i do have a first love."

"Who is he?"

"Just someone. Who's yours?"

"She's dead."

"I'm sorry." Her tone changed and as we walked in darkness her was hard to decipher.

"Nah, its okay. She died long before i started school but, guess I carry a broken heart too, cause i still can't talk about her in detail without breaking down."

"You must have loved her a lot." She said.

"Maybe I'm just traumatized cause she died in my arms." What the fuck am i doing?

"I'm sorry I didnt know."

"It's alright, I guess i just had a taste of what dying in your arms mean." i chuckled at the concept.

"Have you talked to a counselor about it? Maybe its what makes you sick."

I smiled and turned to her. For a second i saw her soul then her soul hurt but i blinked and i couldn't see it again.

"I did, you cold?"

"A bit. But its not bad." I tried to take off my jacket but she refused it saying she was okay.

"You said you get sick fast." I said giving her my jacket.

"What about you?"

"I'm okay."

we walked in silence for a minute. the silence for one that felt perfect and a bit awkward. As we approached the dorms she started, ""Sorry you had to hear that." She looked away as she added. "my friends an I could sometimes be a bit..."

"Fun?"

"yeah crazy and... fun?" she looked at me as if i said something wrong.

"yeah, that was fun!"

"oh it was embarrassing!"

"oh it wasn't, it was fun, reminds me of my brothers and sisters. They always speak whenever they want, whatever they want."

"but i doubt they can be as crazy as Scarface and Indie." she challenged me.

i looked at her and thought of all the times my team played truth or dare. "I'll let you meet them one, you'd be the judge."

"So I'm gonna meet your family?"

"when they are in Africa I'll let you meet them."

"deal?"

"deal." we stopped in front of her dorm block. "you should go in."

"yeah." she looked at the door and turned back to me. "good night."

"good night." i messed her hair and turned to leave.

"hey jay," she called me and i almost froze as she said it. i turned to her. "yeah?"

"wanna hang out tomorrow after class?"

"Yeah." i responded as my heart danced.

"okay, good night." she said and ran off. i chuckled and went to my room.

i crashed on my bed as my heart melted and danced at the same time.

i closed my eyes and focused on the feeling. oh god it felt so... good.

boom! rat-tat-tat! Thunder and lightning flashed and beyond the dark storm i saw raging around, some being, dressed in golden yet old gaurdian armor, turned to face me admist the darkness we were in. but his face... his face... it looked... i frowned and tried to focus in his face but it blurred out as he turned away. but his trident...

i knew it. or its parts. i knew them all. but they weren't supposed to be a single weapon. it broke apart as he turned into golden dust.

The Artemis' bow, i saw it form from a broken piece of the trident. Lightning shot out of it as the tree of life, Yggadsil appeared admist the darkness and glowed.

but it was far from me. i couldnt reach it.

"Dont worry, i got." Some voice said in an ancient tongue. But though i couldnt see anything, i felt that person turn. How his body leaned as he turned, I felt it. even the trident he had in his right. I felt it. the lightning that coursed through his viens from the trident. i felt it.

i opened my eyes and touched my hand. It still felt numb from the familiar charge. but it wasn't the same charge I felt when i held my own trident.

it was stronger. way too strong.

i sat up and went to wash my face.