A breath left my hollow mouth, a rest that had not come for ages. A stomach that protested every second of time it had spent without food.
But the time had come, the third day. We were to be in here for exactly three days before we would be extracted. I couldn't tell you how as all I knew was that we would be taken out of here.
But the time had come and with it the stress of the days before burdened my shoulders. I turned to the wall and lay my head to rest against it.
The cool stone, the jagged ridges. It all brought back memories. The first day had been consumed by darkness and rest, the second of betrayal and discovery.
And here I was on the afternoon of the third day. It had been consumed by rest and recovery, even if my limbs still felt phantom sensations of the injuries I had sustained.
I was well.
I felt the cold embrace of ice grace my skin. And with it a nod of my head as it turned to the source of the disruption.
The ice unfurled into a beautiful flower that traced lines of speech over my hand. It rose further before puffing into a smoke.
Faintly a giggle lit the room. Closer in tone to a laugh yet still quiet enough that I had barely heard it.
Still, I stood up and popped my limbs. I stretched once more before I came across Emilia. She sat straight in the seat of the king.
Her hand balled into a fist on the side. Emilia's expression was that same impassive smug, her gaze focused solely on me.
"Hello" I greeted, my hand half raised in an awkward attempt.
But she merely smiled, her other hand raised to her mouth to stifle a laugh. She rose and placed her hand on my half raised one. Before I could even react I was swiftly placed on the seat opposite of hers.
I honestly couldn't tell when she had placed this chair as it had not been here before. But even then there was nothing of the sort on my mind.
Merely a fleeting thought that, like a bird, floated into the wind.
"Hello…" She greeted back, but it was still in that drawn out tone of hers.
"Ah- I- I wanted to ask about the crystals, and how the distribution would be?" I cursed myself, flinching slightly in time to my stutters.
But all I got from her was another stifled laugh as she rose once again.
Her legs rested on mine as her back pushed into me. Emilia craned her neck and held a sack above mine.
I felt the weight on my shoulder and found it filled with crystals of all kinds, harvested during my rest. But still it was out of my reach.
A sigh that tickled the soft skin against mine.
Emilia then rose once more and threw me the bag.
"Keep it, I have no need for it."
"But…" I tried to protest but she shushed me. Her finger placed over my lip.
"Take it."
I couldn't do anything but sit stunned at the intensity of her eyes.
The smile she wore as she stood satisfied at my reluctant acceptance. But in that moment I felt a burning hole in my side.
A note was flung from my pocket and read to us.
"Congratulations," It read, "You have passed, according to the number and quality of Mana Stones on your person it has been recorded that Inari has been placed Four thousandth and ninety-ninth place. As for Emilia she has placed Nine-teenth place. Again congratulations…"
The tone was dull but I felt a joy in my stomach burst free. Something wet too, I touched my cheek and felt a drop of water on it.
Was I crying?
"You are, thank me."
"Thanks… no, thank you, really." I couldn't hold it together for another minute.
That place, it was greater than I had ever thought that it could have been. It… it might actually have been good enough for my parents. And for that I was truly thankful for everything that she had done.
But there was more. Another message after the previous.
"You will be transported to the school exit, standby."
With that the paper burst into flames and with it the message.
I waited one second, two, and another. But when it didn't come I opened my mouth to say one more thing.
…
…
…
I opened my eyes to the rolling plains. Grass felt up to my knee with a touch that irritated my skin slightly.
But I was happy to feel it. The sun on my face and the smell of fresh air.
All around hundreds of people appeared in flashes of flame. Whoever had executed the teleportation clearly needed some time to breath.
But there was something else that I was looking for. Emilia. I looked around for that signature white hair of hers but it was nowhere to be seen.
No matter the direction.
And so I settled my breath and looked to the portal where the injured were hurried out and the others waited.
I could only imagine that Emilia had already left.
I snorted, it was just like her.
Once more I tried to look for her but nothing. All while I fingered the stone she had given me. The poisonous core, an object I had not decided what to do.
There was something else too. A piece of paper that she had quickly scrawled down a number on.
Her personal cell. I couldn't hide the smile that lit my face at the thought. But then the line moved and I found myself pushed through the gate.
And once more I was flashed by the change in scenery. Instead of the fresh field it was replaced by the stink of a gym used for thousands of battles.
Once more I sat down, and waited for a speech to commence. All the while scanning the field of people, all in hope of one.