Chapter 3 - Part 5

["Yes. You did well to keep your end, so might as well keep mine only if tomorrow morning you can tell me what these three spells have in common." he said and dismissed Haiden to his room.]

Haiden sat patiently on the side of his bed fully dressed, bouncing his gaze from the door, to the green walls, to the window. The mist had rolled again over Elo'yn casting a ghostly appearance over the white city. Today it was thicker and he could barely see anything outside, just milky surroundings. He felt anticipation whirl in his gut as he waited for Master Rwoy.

I'll teach him how to knock," he thought.

It was taking more than usual for Master Rwoy to barge in and Haiden was beginning to wonder what was he up to? Calming his nerves he listened carefully to any footsteps outside his door. Strangely enough, there were no servants bustling about that could be heard on this floor. He used this to his advantage, thinking that if there are no servants around, the steps that would follow could only be Master Rwoy, so he sat and listened.

Haiden's boot tapped impatiently on the wooden floor, ear plastered to the door waiting. He guessed that an hour had passed during which anticipation churned in his gut making him use the lavatory multiple times. Just as he felt the pressure of his bowels demanding another visit he heard hurried footsteps on just outside. He steeled himself in front of the door, making sure to compartmentalize, he drew on his fios. Static tingled his arms and with a practiced mental shove of his will the air next to the door shimmered. A shield the size and shape of the door had formed, ready to be moved instantly as soon as the door opens. Haiden could now hear the footsteps clearly.

Any moment now, he thought.

And as expected the door flew open with a loud bang as usual, revealing Master Rwoy blocking the dim morning light. As soon as he tried to step in he was flung a few paces backwards only to catch himself with his Wielding, recovering in an instant. The corners of Haidens lips tugged into a victorious smils.

"You know, Master Rwoy, it's quite dangerous not to knock when you have an Academy full of young wielders that startle easily." he mused. Master Rwoy had gotten up quite graciously given the rough tumble. His dark eyes were shadowed by his furiously creased brows, Haiden was intimidated but stood his ground, chest puffed and chin up. With a wave of his hand Master Rwoy dismissed the shield that Haiden summoned and stepped in mancingly forcing Haiden to step back. Haiden laughed nervously.

"Kid, you got some nerve." he said in a gruff voice. "Shit! That was one hell of a shield." his demeanor changing into his usual aloof one allowing Haiden to relax.

"T-thanks, for one moment I thought you'd kill me." he breathed in relief.

"So did I." he chuckled. "Right, we don't have much time today so we need to tone the jokes to a minimum." Haiden nodded. "Do you have your answer?"

"Aye, but I'm not sure if it's correct." Haiden admitted and waiting for a reply from Master Rwoy but he never gave one, the silence became awkward.

"Well? What is it?" he finally asked.

"Uh, yes. What the tree spells have in common...." he trailed off buying his time trying to put his thoughts together. In reality he hadn't given it much thought until last night, just a crazy idea that popped into his head while racking his brains for something. Finally, mustering the courage to speak he said, "T-the spells can't create something from nothing. They use the motes that are already around us and the energy or fios that's within us." Haiden's heart was hammering in his chest, if his answer was wrong he could say goodbye to learning the first step to becoming a healer.

Master Rwoy, noded in contemplation. "That is true, you can't create something from nothing, that's something only the Creators had achieved. I guess that'll suffice. Alright, you pass." he said, giving Haiden a warm smile.

The Creators, Haiden thought. Now that he thought about it he actually didn't know anything about these so called Creators, just that everyone worshiped them and simply because of that, so did he. His memory loss had taken almost everything away from him, especially his identity even though he clung to what bits and scraps Master Danil had helped rescue, there were huge gaps to who exactly he was and that included his religious identity - did he really worship these Creators in the past? He could not answer that question, alas the remaining gaps were up to him to remember or rediscover. Wait... Haiden stopped his trail of thought and looked back at Master Rwoy.

"You...guess? So, that wasn't exactly the answer you expected, wasn't it?" asked wide eyed.

"No, not at all, why?"

"Then why do I PASS?" Haiden demanded his arms flung in the air.

"Oh, that was just to get your nugget to think on the intricacies of Wielding...or something like that." he chuckled while poking at Haiden's head with a finger a few times before he swatted it away. "You're snappy today." he cradled his hand.

"I'm not snappy!" he glared at Master Rwoy.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever helps you sleep at night, kid." he said cleared his throat and turned to the doorway and looked expectantly. Haiden followed his gaze but saw nothing. Master Rwoy hummed impatiently. "We should get started." he said gaze pinned to the doorway. "Would you be kind, to join us, Mara?" he finally said. A shadow beyond the door seemed to move, there was something hiding behind the wall. Haiden's brow rose with curiosity as a small hand clutched the door jamb and a girl pulled herself in front of the two men.

"Who is she?" Haiden asked. He stared at the child whose head was locked on her dirty footwear, which Haiden didn't think it was suited for this weather. Her dress looked more like a rough root sack made of thick fibers - its hem was muddied and unfurled on one side. He looked closer and he could tell that her hair hasn't been washed in days, the smell strongly hinted that as well.

"This, Haiden, is the subject that you'll be practicing the most inferior form of healing, indirect healing, for the next three days - just as I promised. Mara, here," he said as he waved a hand at the girl, "is a slave." Master Rwoy's eyes were darkened by his brows. Hearing the words slave, Haiden's stomach sank with the weight it bore. His mind going to the first slaves he saw from the waggon - muddy, pitiful, mauling through dirt along with the mron preparing the ground for the next harvest. He could see the regret in Master Rwoy's shamed gaze that averted direct contact with the girl's eyes.

Healing implies having something to heal. Surely he doesn't want me to... he thought

"No..." Haiden finally let out his breath. He pinned Master Rwoy with his gaze, the corner of his lips tugged downward into a disgusted scowl. "She's just a child, Master Rwoy. I-I can't..."

"Relax, Haiden. Mara won't be in any harm. I'll make sure she's in no real pain, so rest assured." even after hearing this Haiden's head shook in disbelief.

Is this the price I have to pay? he asked himself. An innocent child needs to suffer so I can learn to help others. She's just a child. A child.

And Regor was just a young man. Another voice inside his head replied. What about his suffering? You could have helped him, if only you knew how.

I could've...NO! She's still a child, she's scared. he argued with himself, the girl trembled where she stood. But Haiden didn't came to a conclusion. Master Rwoy saw his turmoil so he let him internally debate his decision. It was like someone else was talking in his mind, someone unscrupulous. Was he capable of hurting a child in order to gain the knowledge to help others? Even he didn't know. He looked at the child before him as he still battled with himself in his mind. The cold air seemed heavy, it weighed his shoulders sagging his posture.

"W-why her? Why not you, or me or someone else!?" he demanded, his gaze not moving away from the scared child in front of him.

"That's right, I haven't quite explained myself." Master Rwoy admitted.

"NO! You fucking haven't!" Haiden spat and Master Rwoy sighed.

"The next best thing from healing - which we call direct healing, is forcing the body to heal itself, hence the indirect. As Wielders we can boost certain cells in the body with fios, so that the natural occurring healing process is sped up, if not instant. But, it has its drawbacks, it's not perfect by any means. The toll it takes on the person you're helping is equal to the fios you use to repair the wound. It's still the body doing the work, only at a faster rate." Master Rwoy explained.

"But she's just a child..." Haiden repeated.

"I know, Haiden. Believe me, if there was another way-"

"Tell me why!?" he demanded.

"Children's bodies heal faster than adults, the cells," Master Rwoy stopped and looked at Haiden's confused gaze. "Right, you don't know what the cells are, do you? Think of them like the motes of living things. They themselves are made out of even smaller motes, and even the smaller ones are made by the most simple motes - elements. Does that make sense?" he asked, to which Haiden gave him a court nod. The concept that Master Rwoy threw at him were familiar due to the previous lessons with the man, making it easy for him to grasp. "Good, so each type of cell has a function to fulfil, the ones we're interested in, repair the body.Because children heal faster and are more reactive, you can easily distinguish them from the rest of the cells. If Mara wasn't the subject, some other child slave would have taken her place. There's nothing you can do if you want to learn this." Master Rwoy said grimly.

With a slow deep breath Haiden decision was made. A stray tear rolled down his cheek, unsure if it was because he pitied the girl or because of the guilt he felt.

"I'm sorry, Mara." Haiden whispered. At the mention of her name she glanced up at Haiden with her citrine eyes reminiscing of his own. Vertigo began to take over but with a few deep breaths he managed to take control over his faculties.

Regor I...I am a bad person after all, aren't I? he asked in his mind.

With that, Master Rwoy extended his hand to Mara. "Come, dear. We need to begin." Haiden's knees begged for him to sit down, but he fully ignored them. Mara took Master Rwoy's hand hesitantly. On her arm Haiden noticed it was ridden with small cuts that healed pink, it gave her skin a ridged texture that sickened Haiden to the bone. He couldn't hold it any longer, the thought of hurting this child made him rush to the lavatory and hurled the acid of his empty stomach.

"Necessary evils are the way our world works, Haiden." Master Rwoy said in a calm voice from the other room, Haiden felt his disguised disgust behind the composed demeanor. When Haiden came back Master Rwoy and Mara sat down on the floor, so he joined them finally giving his trembling legs what they plead for. He could not look her in the eyes, looking everywhere but.

"Listen to me very carefully, Haiden. I will numb Mara from any sensation, then I will proceed to make a small incision and her body will react. You will need to send your energy and try to get a feel for the cells that rush to the wound. Get a sense of those who are starting to build her skin back, those are the most important ones. It will be hard, she's a living being, Haiden, not mere motes in the air, ground or water - there will be a lot of moving parts. Do you understand?"

"Y-yes, Master Rwoy." he steeled himself, his adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed dry. Master Rwoy gently took Mara's arm. Haiden felt static bounce off of him as something was being done to the girl. Master Rwoy gave him a nod and hovered a hand above Mara's fragile and thin arm. A small incision opened. It was red and wider than he would have thought, but no blood spilled over. Locking the mental door and drawing his energy became habitual, he hardly had to think of it. His arms tingling with energy and static he directed his fios to the wound. His senses were flooded by hundreds of thousands of moving specs.

Are these cells? he asked himself.

"I f-feel something." he whispered.

"Good." Master Rwoy assured. With his free hand he held a bonding stone and pressed it on Haiden's hand.

Don't be alarmed, Haiden. I will need to feel what you feel.

Alright.

Send your energy even deeper. Feel the ones rushing to the wound. You should simply know as there's an urgency to them, as opposed to the rest. Haiden did as Master Rwoy asked. After some time he felt the urgency with which a group of thousands of cells sped towards the inscizion. Good, Master Rwoy confirmed. Wait and see what they do. Haiden's concentration wavered as doubt crept in. The girl might be numb, but this felt wrong in his gut. How long will he make her torment last? he wondered. She was fully conscious and saw how the man dissected her arm. Her face held a bored expression but her body betrayed her fear.

Soon after, in the group that he sensed he could feel multiple distinct types of cells that had rushed to the wound. Good, Haiden. These are the cells that help the body heal itself. Now send your energy through Mara's body. You will need to find and imbue them with fios. They will activate and rush to the wound and speed up the process ten, hundred, thousand fold depending on the amount of fios you send and stamina of the subject. Once you locate them throughout the body, send as little fios as you can. Haiden did as Master Rwoy instructed, he forced himself to concentrate, the faster he would do this the faster the girl would be free of the torture.

I'm sorry, he thought. He hated himself for agreeing to this ordeal. But what could he have done? It's necessary, he repeated to himself.

Each type of cell had certain features he looked for, but they were difficult to discern. It took what seemed like forever when finally his energy extended throughout Mara's body. Carefully sending as little fios as he could.

STOP! Master Rwoy warned. Just as he heard the word in his mind Mara's body convulsed and blood sprayed from the girl. Haiden immediately retreated his energy from within her and looked at Mara. Her eyes were squinted in pain and silently whimpered as if she didn't want anyone to hear her. A bloody gash had appeared on calf, now slowly oozing red rivulets.

"That's enough for today." Master Rwoy said and waved a hand over the wounds as Mara winced. They closed up immediately leaving no trace of them being there, except for the blood spilled in the room. "Mara, be a dear and wait for me outside." the girl could barely stand but she stayed quiet and did as she was asked; with clumsy footing Mara managed to get past the doorway. "Your fios wavered, for a brief second you sent too much energy than her body can take."

"I-I can't do this. It's wrong!" Haiden spat at the man once the girl was behind the wall.

"Do you remember, kid, what I said the most important aspect of Wielding was?" he asked calmly.

"K-knowledge."Haiden replied.

"Yes, Haiden, the most important aspect of Wielding is knowledge. But knowledge always has a price, and more often than not, that price is pain. Pain which not always you can take upon yourself. Right now, Mara is taking upon herself the cost of the knowledge you're gaining."

"But, what gives me the right to ask her to do this!? Huh?! She didn't have a choice in this!" Haiden's voice quivered as he shouted at the man, he couldn't believe Master Rwoy could stay so calm while he did that to the girl.

But I... I was the one who hurt her.

"Ask?" Master Rwoy repeated incredulously. "You are a Wielder, Haiden, and she...well, she is a mere slave. You do not ask. You command, that is your birthright given by the Creators as a Wielder, and she will comply." he said with a sickening ferverance. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have certain matters to attend. I shall not accompany you to lunch today. We'll resume this tomorrow." and with that Master Rwoy left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving Haiden alone.

Haiden had not left his room that day, his empty stomach protested his choice of rebellion. Throughout the day had debated his actions, no matter how he approached the issue he always arrived at the conclusion that more good than bad would result from this.

But was it worth it? this was the question he did not had any answer for.

Haiden hadn't slept a wink, so the next day when Master Rwoy barged in he was exhausted. His eyes were rimmed with dark circles and his skin was paler than usual. Master Rwoy on the other hand acted as his usual self and poked fun at Haiden's rumbling stomach.

He still didn't know if it was worth it, but push through all of his doubts and agreed to continue but promised himself that he will not bring more pain to the girl than necessary. Following the same procedure as yesterday he concentrated hard on maintaining his fios constant and low. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as Master Rwoy sent mental instructions through the bonding stone. With great care he kept to his promise and finished the spell without injuring Mara more than it was needed.

The edges of the wound began to fuse together, and at the seem a thin scab began to form, which fell mere seconds later, leaving a pink line across her arm. Another one added to to her unwanted collection.

"Very well done, Haiden." Master Rwoy said approvingly, however he could not feel any joy in what he had done. This knowledge came at the price of tormenting an innocent child. He was too ashamed to look her in the eye, but he owed her that, at least, so he tore his eyes off the fresh pink line and stared down the almost lifeless citrine golden eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mara." he apologized sincerely. The girl opened her mouth to say something but stopped herself before anything came out.

Master Rwoy left Haiden alone again, but this time he decided to eat something. His protest was useless and it only affected him.

Following the stone-tiled way to the Ashen side of the Academy, he heard the clang of metal on metal coming from the training pit. Hope surged within him immediately thinking of Tasgal. He pushed his worries of being a Yeva'ah aside and marched towards the pit, being in dire need of a distraction from the events of the past two days.

As if his prayers were answered, there he stood, half naked in the pit sparing with the same dirt blonde man. Tasgal's muscles flexed with every move as he swung his sword at the man who expertly parried with a simple draw of two daggers, their weight crunched the gravel underfoot. The two men went at each other with vicious precision and agility. It was a deadly dance of steel and muscle the kind of which Haiden had never seen before. The amount of fine tuned skills needed to pull such stunts without even being scaved left him in awe, enough to take his mind off of Mara.

The warriors' muscles glistened with sweat, steam rising from their hot bodies in the cold weather of winter. Haiden relished in seeing Tasgal at his utmost finest, with each stretch or lunge at his opponent lowered his leather trousers, revealing a bit more skin than intended. Haiden's amber eyes followed intently the trail of dark hair running down his defined abdomen. He felt the blood rush to his pale face as soon as his gaze lowered even more.

"Looks like your admirer is back, Tas!" the blonde man shouted loud enough for Haiden to hear, which made him immediately look up at the gray cloudy sky; nowhere near as interesting as Tasgal was, but he pretended nonetheless.

Smooth, really smooth, Haiden. he mentally slapped himself.

For a moment the gravel went silent forcing his gaze back at the two men. A pair of summery sky eyes met his own, making his heart skip a beat. Haiden was sure that if it weren't for his heat cloak, steam would rise from his ears just like it did from the warriors' bodies. He hadn't seen Tasgal in a few days and he felt annoyed with himself for actually missing the man. It was dangerous to show interest in the man before him, and he fully understood that but still brushed it off.

What's wrong with just looking, he said to himself.

The moment didn't last long as a heavy crunch resounded throughout the arena making Tasgal spin around to face his opponent. He tried to parry but he was too slow, the dirt blonde man lunged forward with his dagger and stabbed him in his side. Tasgal screamed in pain as he fell to the ground and a pool of dark red surrounded him.

"Shit! Shitshitshit! Help! Please help!" he shouted, cradling Tasgal's body.