“Where did you get this book?” Clover asks as he’s showing the book to Valencia and Zachry.
“This library has been passed down in my family for generations. Most of these books have been here for ages. Sorry but I don’t know where this book came from.” She answers with a saddened expression.
“Don’t libraries typically have a catalog to record all of the items and their origins?” Jasper asks.
‘How do you even know that…’ Zachry thinks, surprised by Jasper’s question since this is his first time in a library.
“Yeah we did, but my great-grandfather got rid of it in favor of his unhealthy obsession with the world’s demographic.” She answers, “But before that, don’t you think we should get August to an infirmary? He’s getting pale and dark spots are appearing on his face.”
She’s correct. August’s condition had gotten even worse than when he was stabbed. Even though he managed to heal the physical wound and put out the flame, it had already run its course throughout his body.
“Yeah, she’s right. We can talk about this after class tomorrow. For now, let’s take him to the school’s infirmary.” Zachry agrees.
“I’ll see what I can find out about the book.”
“I'm not sure if it’ll be useful, but August said it’s related to ambient aether manipulation,” Clover says.
“Alright I have some books about it so I’ll do some reading.”
Helping the barely conscious August to his feet Clover heads out the door. Followed closely by Jasper, Zachry however lingers behind.
“Aren’t you going to tell them?” Valencia whispers to him.
“Yeah, just not now. They have a lot to deal with already. You shouldn’t worry so much, we’ll be fine. I know how you get when you’re reading so please at least get some sleep tonight.”
“Yeah, I will. Be safe.”
After saying goodbye to her, Zachry swiftly catches up to the rest of them.
“You’re surprisingly chummy today,” August says to Clover.
“We made a deal, remember? I can’t have you dying on me before you’ve upheld your side of the deal.”
“Same goes for you. Don’t you go dying on me…”
It doesn’t take them long to reach the academy’s infirmary. After explaining August’s condition, the nurse insists he stays the night since the sun has already gone down. They collectively believe it’s for the best and leave him in her care.
Now, back in their room, before anyone could go their separate ways, Zachry starts questioning them.
“Since we’ve dropped off August at the infirmary, why don’t you guys tell me what happened to you?”
“...Jasper? Would you do the honors of telling our den-mother what happened earlier?”
‘Den-mother?’
“Sure, why not…”
He finishes explaining everything to him after about twenty minutes or so. Throughout the entire explanation, Zachry had a baffled expression as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Are you people retarded?” Zachry asks as he’s trying to soothe his headache.
“Possibly, but that’s not the point,” Jasper responds wholeheartedly.
“Not the point?” Zachry mimics, “Why would you guys read something like that out loud if you knew it had connections to ambient aether manipulation?”
“For the record, I was against it from the start. Jasper was the one who wanted to do it.”
“You sell out!” Jasper yells.
“That’s not even the height of your stupidity. You get transported to god knows where and then you actively provoke the natives. What if you guys got killed?”
“But we didn’t. Plus I have a solid explanation for why I provoked them.”
“Alright then Jasper, tell me what was your solid reasoning?”
Jasper breathes in deeply before clearing his throat as he proceeds to answer Zachry.
“For research purposes.” He said resolutely.
“He did it for shits and giggles.” Clover chimes in, “On another note, don’t you have something to tell us?”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Zachry says, playing dumb.
“Don’t play dumb with me. I heard what the librarian said to you after we left. So speak.”
After a few seconds of silence, Zachry gives in and tells them what happened earlier, “I got attacked by two of Leo’s goons. But I somehow managed to fight them off.”
“Is that all?”
“No. Since we’re in the same class as August we’ve got targets on our backs. And after what happened earlier Hati and Skoll are probably after us.”
“Leo’s twin brats Hati and Skoll Fenrirson. This is going to be fun.” Jasper says.
***
“Alright let's see here,” The nurse says as she searches for August’s file, “Ah, here it is. August Stride, 17 years old and currently ranked Knight. Impressive. To be able to obtain the Knight rank and you haven’t even been here for a month.”
“Yep. That’s me.”
“But what I don’t understand is if you’re that strong how are you in this condition?”
“Stairs. My eternal archenemy.”
“I get the feeling you aren’t going to tell me what caused these injuries.” She puts on a pair of gloves and retrieves a syringe from a cabinet, “Before we start your treatment would you mind if I took a sample of your blood?”
“If you can.”
‘Answer the damn question like a regular person…!’
She injects the needle into his arm and pulls back on the syringe. A sanguine fluid begins filling the tube as she withdraws the needle.
“Do you have any allergies?” She asks as she disposes of the needle.
“None that I’m aware of.”
‘So you can answer questions like a normal person.’
She begins setting up her microscope with a sample of August’s blood. After looking through the microscope, she was able to determine what was wrong with him.
“This looks like a common bacterial infection. I’m going to prescribe you some medications, and if you take those you should be okay.”
“A common bacterial infection? It sure doesn’t feel like one.”
She moves away from the microscope to her desk and begins writing down a list of pharmaceutical products.
“Another thing, throughout the healing period please refrain from using aether. Because most bacteria react to it in poisonous ways.”
She finishes the list and hands it to August, “And please, be more cautious in the future,”
“Don’t worry. It won’t happen a second time.”
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