Patricia woke up after god-knows how many hours it has been. Her head was still in pain, but she have managed to open her eyes. As her consciousness settled in, she heard some voices in the corner of the room she was in.
"How is she, Sir Necal?" A familiar voice of a woman spoke, her concern was evident in her voice. "She's doing well. May I ask, Miss Stanton, if she, in any way, have interacted with the Singularity?" Minutes of silence ensued until Cassidy sighs, "Just days ago, I saw her follow me through the Concore Woods. Yes, she has gotten near the tree, but I don't know if she interacted with it."
Patricia bites her lips, she has done something wrong. Her professor's head turns to her and rushes to her as soon as she noticed her already have woke up. "Patricia, are you okay?" The young lady nods, "My head just hurts a little bit, what happened?"
"You have fainted in my class. I am glad that there were students kind enough to help me get you here." Patricia sighs, "I am sorry for disturbing your class." Cassidy shakes her head, "It was just a minor interruption, once I settled you in here, we have continued the class. Don't worry, I have excused you to Miss Gerville and Miss Alaya. I am sure with what happened to you, you will not be inclined to attend your classes later in the day." Cassidy sighs, "Say, Patricia, did you, in any form whatsoever, touch or have interacted with the Singularity when you were following me the other day?"
Patricia's eyes wander everywhere but her professor's gaze. "I am sorry." Cassidy looks at her, "What do you mean? Don't worry, I would not be mad at you." The young lady covers her face in embarrassment, "I did an oopsie, didn't I?" Her professor sits on the edge of the bed she was in, "Tell me, right on my face. Did you do it?"
Patricia looks at her, "I only just grazed it! I was curious how those things feel like." Cassidy sighs, "I called it, which one you touched? The blue—" "The white one, the singularity you are all talking about. Yes, I touched it. I am sorry, okay?" Cassidy looks at her, "Don't think I am angry at you, I just became much more worried about you." She sighs, "I called it." She looks at the doctor who assisted them, "Sir Necal, please don't tell anyone about this. I don't want this news to spread across the school."
"My mouth is always shut, Miss Stanton. Besides, I'm only here to aid this young lady. Spreading this to everyone is not my line of work nor do I get paid to do it. Whatever is said here, stays here." Cassidy nods, "Thank you for your understanding, Sir Necal." She looks back at Patricia, "While we are here, I'm going to ask you some questions. Don't take this at heart and answer honestly. Are we understanding clear?"
Patricia sighs and nods. "When are you starting to feel this? What did you feel when you are already feeling it?" She tries to find the words she wants to say. She takes a deep breath once in a while until finally, she has found the way to start it. "It all just started with your class, Miss Cassidy." "When?" Her professor asked, "When did you feel it?"
"While the students were demonstrating, Miss Cassidy. I was perfectly fine earlier morning, especially my sihsih has given me something and wrote a letter to me. At first, it was my chest that was aching. The uncomfortable pain rose and finally hit my head, where I inevitably fainted with how heavy it was and the dizziness I felt."
"That's not good at all." She sighs, "I need to investigate further about this matter." Cassidy looks at her, "Please say to me if you aren't still feeling well in the next few days. Are you feeling better now?" Patricia nods, "Yes, I do, Miss Cassidy." The professor sighs in relief, "I am glad to hear that, but I still don't recommend you go to your next classes. What's your last class?"
"Herbology or something…" Cassidy shakes her head, "That's a definite no." She sighs, "Just don't interact with anyone today, or at least, they must have some permission to me." Patricia looks at her, "How about my friends? I am sure that they are worrying right now?"
"Who are they then? I'm going to talk to them for your condition to not get worse." Patricia thinks for a while, "Gabriel… I believe it's Gabriel Harpington… and Antonietta, Antonietta Maile." Cassidy nods, "They are allowed to visit you as soon as I get to talk to them." She turns to the doctor who's busy with a bunch of paper on his desk. "Sir Necal, please discharge her as soon as you deem it fit. I'm going to leave her in your hands." The doctor nods, "Sure, Miss Stanton. I will monitor her and report if I found anything mysterious or wrong with her vitals."
Hours go slow when you are in a bed on what feels like a whole day. Patricia spent her time just sleeping and staring at the ceiling, unable to do anything. The sickbay door opened, revealing two familiar individuals to her.
"Pat! How have you been?" Gabriel approached her along with Antonietta. "People are really into gossip. The news of you fainting in the middle of the class spread quickly." Antonietta looks at her, "Are you feeling okay now?" Patricia nods, "I am fine. Miss Cassidy said that I shouldn't spend time in classes today. Whatever is the reason, I trust her it's for my own good."
"What really happened? Gabriel here can't tell me any specifics and the gossip won't do any good about my perspective of you." Gabriel rolls his eyes, "Even if I was her seatmate, she just plopped there on the desk, okay? I was panicking as well, so much so that my mind repressed everything I witnessed there. It almost felt like as if I was witnessing Patricia's death."
Antonietta knock on the walls, "Hey! Be careful of your words." Gabriel sighs, "I am sorry, it was just a jarring experience, you know. I am glad that she's here, doing well, doing fine. I would never wish for her death, as you seem to imply." Antonietta sighs, "Words are powerful enough to do anything, even if you don't mean it. I just countered the curse, don't worry."
"Don't fight in front of me. I am fine, and I am not going to die any time soon." Patricia sighs, "What did Miss Cassidy tell you?" Antonietta looks at Gabriel and back to her, "She said that we are supposed to be gentle to you and take care of you. You are in a vulnerable state right now, and she's not always going to look out for you because she still has things to do."
"Are you Miss Prudent's friends?" Doctor Necal approached them, "Yes, doctor." He nods, "Miss Prudent has been doing well for the past couple of hours. Her heart rate is consistent and normal than before and based on her interactions with you, she feels better now. I am quite reluctant to prescribe you any medicine because based on Miss Stanton's statements earlier, it's not your typical sickness. Although, if you feel dizzy, take some of these medicines and even some tea if you can drink some."
Patricia nods, "I understand, doctor, but I am still puzzled why that happened to me. Miss Cassidy didn't tell me much." The doctor sighs, "I am naive about it as well, only your professor knows such a thing. I respect her for not saying it, for now, I don't want to pry in other's businesses. She seems to know what she's doing, I trust her expertise. She's a former Warden after all. Some say she was a special one, no one still knows why she became a teacher. She's a mysterious gal, and I won't question it, she might have her reason."
The doctor gave her a prescription and another paper of her admission in the medbay. "You could go now as you wish, especially you have your friends here to assist you." Patricia nods and finally rises on the bed she has been laying on for the past couple of hours. Her friends assisted her out of there. The fresh air of the outside makes her feel at ease.
"Miss Cassidy also said that the training you will have in the afternoon will be postponed for now." Gabriel looks at her, "You have a training with her?" Patricia nods, "It's just to better control my abilities." She looks at Antonietta, "She is a witness to how much uncontrolled I can be when things get a little derailed."
Patricia raises her hand and conjures a crystal atop of it. Antonietta closes her hand, "You shouldn't be doing that for now. You just came from sickness, you are just overworking yourself." The blonde girl giggles, "Don't treat me like I am frail as a paper. Besides, it was a basic conjuration. It will not take up all of my energy."
"Still, you supposed not to push yourself yet. Even it's a small conjuration, it's still something that could bother your inner workings." Patricia crosses her arms, "It seems that Miss Cassidy has told you something other than taking care of me."
"Isn't this taking care of you? We are just concerned about you." Patricia sighs, "It's not taking care of me, it's restricting me from doing even a simple task. Earlier, you didn't even stop me from getting discharged, now you are stopping me from summoning even just a small crystal? You're not good at hiding, you know? I can feel that Miss Cassidy has told you more than looking out for me."
Gabriel sighs, "Fine, you have cornered us. It's not that something big. It's just she doesn't want you to be exposed to any element whatsoever. She also said that as much as possible, you shouldn't use your ability for now."
"We are quite confused about this because even the air in Thereal is filled with elemental magic. She made it clear that you shouldn't be interacting with anyone that's exhibiting their magic. We don't know why, but all we know is that it might worsen your situation." Patricia sighs, "I knew that there's more to this game you're playing. Why are you making a secret, anyway? As Gabriel said, it's not something big."
"Miss Cassidy told us so. She said it herself that we shouldn't suppose to tell you, she didn't elaborate any further. Whatever it is, we didn't get it." Antonietta nods, "I am sure that whatever her reason might be, it's for our own good. She might have any explanation at all. Besides, she's the one who has the job to know such things."
They escorted her through the dormitory she's living in and even delivered her to her room. "I'm going to go now. My presence here should be short-lived. Be well, Pat!" Gabriel leaves them be. "I think you should rest, I still need to do my assignments. I'll visit you once in a while since your roommate is far from interested in caring for you."
"No need, I just need some rest, and I'll be fine." Antonietta leaves her alone in her room. Her eyes took notice of the package her sihsih gave to her. She reaches for it and started taking out its contents. It was old notebooks that were well-preserved through the years. In the middle of it was a thick notebook with a leather cover. She opens it, in the flypaper, there was a phrase written: "Diary of Cexillia Johnstone."
"This must be the diary sihsih is telling me." Before she could flip a page on the notebook, knocks can be heard on the door. "Patricia? Is this the room of Miss Prudent?"