The next day, as Eliss regained her consciousness, she opened her eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling. For a moment, she was disoriented, but then the events of the previous day came back to her mind. She blacked out after the fight., and she figured out that Amukelo must've dragged her to the room. She felt fine, as her mana replenished mostly, and her wound almost dissapeared.
She looked around the room. It was modest, with wooden walls and a single small window letting in the faint glow of the rising sun. Then she looked at Amukelo, who was sprawled on the floor near her bed. His face was pale, and his breaths came deep and steady, as though his body had completely shut down from the strain.
"Idiot," she muttered, a pang of guilt surfacing as she realized he must have collapsed from sheer exhaustion after carrying her here. Eliss pushed herself out of bed and stumbled over to him. She hoisted him up and half-dragged, half-carried him to the second bed.
"Rest here," she murmured, tucking him in. She looked at him for a moment. Despite his gruff demeanor and constant grumbling, Amukelo had risked his life to save her. Her lips curved into a faint smile before she shook her head, pushing the sentiment away.
Not knowing what else to do, Eliss moved to the small wooden table by the window. Her pack was nearby, and she pulled it toward her, searching for her notebooks and the grimoires she had purchased. She quickly noticed something was missing.
"The worm's head..." she muttered, realizing that Amukelo must have left it behind. "Ugh. That would've sold for a small fortune."
She sighed and pushed the thought aside, pulling out one of the grimoires instead. It was a thick book with a dark grey cover, the texture of the leather rough under her fingertips. The edges of the pages were tinged with a faint silver sheen, and the cover bore a single embossed symbol—a swirling vortex enclosed in a square, representing dimensional magic.
Eliss examined the book carefully. It was locked with a small but ornate mechanism. Remembering the key she had been given at purchase, she pulled it out and inserted it into the lock. With a satisfying click, the grimoire opened.
Inside, the first page was the only one with any visible content. It contained a short inscription:
"For the worthy bearer"
Below the text was a small square labeled User. Taking a small blade from her pack, she pricked her thumb, wincing slightly as a bead of blood formed. She pressed her thumb to the square.
The reaction was instantaneous. The book glowed faintly, the grey of the cover pulsing with silver streaks. It levitated slightly above the table, its pages flipping on their own as intricate diagrams, runes, and spell descriptions began filling each page. Eliss gasped softly, captivated by the display.
When the pages finally settled, the book lay still.
The spell was simple on paper, but executing it was a completely different thing. It created a separate dimension and connected it to the user. She read it carefully, taking out her notebook to note the details.
She began learning the spell by visualizing the pocket dimension. Following the instructions, she drew specific runes on a piece of parchment using ink infused with a drop of her mana.
The book responded to her progress. The pages she memorized ignited with a silver flame, burning away without leaving a trace. The grimoire became slightly thinner. As the bearer mastered the spells, the grimoire would shed the knowledge it had imparted, leaving only what was yet to be learned.
Hours passed as she worked through the grimoire, her notebook filling with notes and diagrams. Every time she memorized a part of the spell, the corresponding page burned away.
By the time the sun was setting, Eliss had managed to learn about a quarter of the grimoire. Sweat beaded her forehead, and her head throbbed from the mental exertion. She closed the grimoire and leaned back in her chair, her body heavy with exhaustion.
Her gaze drifted to Amukelo, who was still sound asleep on the bed. His face was peaceful in sleep, a stark contrast to the scowl he usually wore. For a moment, Eliss felt a pang of gratitude.
Then, with a yawn, she set her notebook aside and climbed back into the bed opposite him.
The next day Amukelo finally woke up. His body protested as he sat up, the soreness from the previous days creeping through every muscle. His side ached, the deep wound from the fight only partially healed by the potion. He grimaced as he swung his legs over the side of the bed.
Across the room, Eliss sat hunched over the table, her nose buried in the grimoire. She was completely engrossed as she copied down notes into her notebook, occasionally glancing back at the glowing pages.
Amukelo rubbed his face, then stretched, wincing as his muscles resisted. He muttered under his breath, "What a mess... my body's falling apart."
He stood, moving slowly to avoid aggravating his injuries. After stretching his arms, he dropped to the floor for a quick set of push-ups. The exertion made his arms tremble, but he pushed through, using the discomfort to distract himself from the deeper pain in his side. When he finished, he sat back on the bed, he greeted Eliss, "Good morning,"
Without looking up, Eliss replied, "Morning," her tone distracted as she scrawled another set of notes.
Amukelo smirked faintly. She was so absorbed in her studies that she barely acknowledged him. He wasn't used to her being this quiet or focused, and though it was a welcome change, it also piqued his curiosity.
"Do you ever take a break?" he asked, leaning back on his hands.
"Not when there's something this interesting," she replied, still not looking up.
Amukelo shook his head, standing again to test his strength. The stiffness in his limbs had eased slightly, but his stomach still throbbed. He decided not to push it further. "I'm really hungry," he said. "I'm going to find something to eat. Wanna come?"
"Can you give me some time? I'm almost done," Eliss replied, her voice tinged with impatience.
Amukelo nodded, not wanting to disturb her. He laid back on the bed, letting his body sink into the mattress. In truth, he welcomed the excuse to rest a little longer. His body was demanding recovery, and despite his stubbornness, he wasn't sure how much more he could take.
Eliss's intense focus surprised him. Normally, she was impulsive and easily distracted, but this grimoire seemed to have captured her full attention. He wondered what was so special about it.
As he lay there, his exhaustion caught up to him, and he drifted into an uneasy sleep.
When Amukelo woke up again, it was to the sound of Eliss yawning. He blinked a few times, his vision clearing to see her stretching in her chair. She leaned back, cracking her knuckles as the page she had been working on burned away into silver flames.
"That took longer than I thought," she said, stifling another yawn. She turned to Amukelo, noticing that he was still lying on the bed. "I'm ready. We can go eat something now."
Amukelo groaned as he pushed himself upright. His body felt stiff and heavy again, the fleeting rest doing little to ease his aches. He swung his legs off the bed and rubbed his face, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
"Finally," he muttered. But as he stood, a sharp pain shot through his side, forcing him to clutch at the spot where the creature had injured him. He gritted his teeth, his breath catching as he tried to steady himself.
Eliss noticed immediately. "You're still hurt," she said with concern. "Let me heal you."
"It's nothing," Amukelo said through clenched teeth, trying to wave her off. He took a shaky step toward the door, determined to push through the pain.
Eliss frowned, clearly not convinced. She grabbed her staff, and before Amukelo could protest further, she cast a healing spell. A soft green glow enveloped him, and he felt a warmth of healing magic seep into his body. The pain dulled almost instantly, replaced by a soothing sensation.
Amukelo watched her work, his stubbornness giving way to gratitude. When the spell was done, he straightened, testing his movement. The pain was nearly gone, leaving only a faint ache. He exhaled deeply and said, "Thanks."
Eliss gave him a small smile, pleased with herself. "You're welcome. Now let's get some food. I'm starving."
Amukelo chuckled faintly, grabbing his gear. "I'm surprised, you were able to prioritize something above food."
As they prepared to leave, he noticed Eliss's energy. She seemed invigorated, her mood lighter after completing another portion of her studies. Amukelo felt a twinge of admiration for her dedication, though he wouldn't admit it out loud.
"Alright," he said, holding the door open for her. "Let's go."