Not Alone

True to her word, Mara stayed by my side for the rest of the day, only stepping out when Airsidh came to see me, making sure that he knew he wasn't allowed to leave my side until she returned.

I tried to read more, but it was hard for me to concentrate with his eyes staring holes through me. It felt so awkward, but he never spoke, not even when I looked back. He seemed perfectly content, sitting there, doing nothing.

"Uhm… Airsidh… Did you want something?"

"No. I am fine."

I only felt more awkward, hearing him say that. "You… aren't board?"

"Mother told me to watch you, so I'm watching."

I chuckled nervously. "I see."

"Are you really ok? That was a lot of blood. You're so small that I didn't even think you had that much in you."

'Well, at least he's talking now I guess. He could stand to be a little more concerned though…' "I do feel a little weak But I'm fine, it just looked like a lot because it mixed with the rainwater."

"I suppose you're alive at least." He still looked calm, his face even more unshakable than Mara's. The fact that he finally started to move though, pulling out a wood carving and a small knife, told me he was uneasy after all.

"Don't worry, the demon is only after me. It won't try to hurt anyone else." 

He paused, seeming to relax as his eyes shifted away from the carving and back to me. "I'm not worried." He slowly began carving again, the sound of wood being shaved by the knife making me start to feel a little anxious.

After several more strokes with his blade, it slipped, jerking, and messing up the carving slightly, sending a chipp across the room.

He stopped for a moment, silence covering the room. "But…" He paused, "If we can never shoot together again. I would find that… Disappointing."

I smirked 'Is he trying to say he would be sad if I died?' "I'm so touched…" I said snarkily.

Before he could respond Lu entered the room, appearing to have been eavesdropping from the outside.

"Did you say demon? You fought a demon!? That's why you were so beat up! Mom told me a monster got in the house but I knew that wasn't true." she jumped up and ran over putting her hands on my leg leaning in close all starry-eyed. "And you're alive? So that means you beat it right?"

"Uh…" 'Honestly, it was more like I tried to not let the demon kill me… and I ran away more than anything else. I wouldn't call it much of a fight.' "Well… it attacked me… And I'm not dead…"

"Wow, so it is true then?"

Unlike the others, she didn't hold a hint of worry, instead seeming excited about the whole thing. Although I guess in the end I was mostly alright. With nothing more than a few scratches, what did they have to worry about? They never even saw it.

'Still, wouldn't it be normal for children to be scared of demons? Although I guess the people who fought them would probably be called heroes. Maybe it's not that strange.'

"Did you kill it? I saw your sword, that must have been demon blood on the blade."

I sighed. "No, it's still hunting me." That was right. I was no hero, It was hunting me. I was just trying to survive, lucky enough to, this time.

"So the fights are not over yet? Can I help you fight it then!"

'I don't remember her being this energetic.'

I turned over to Airsidh who simply shrugged. "See what I have to deal with every day."

"Hey!" She protested, slugging him in the shoulder hard enough for there to be an audible thud, but he didn't even react.

'Oh… So this is her normal self then? She actually wants to fight it?' Even if that was the case I didn't think it was a good idea. She was talented, but having a 12-year-old girl to look after probably wouldn't make it any easier for Mara, who in a perfect world, would just kill the thing by herself.

"Sorry Lu, I think Mara is going to take over this one."

"Aw no fair!" 'She's pouting?' "I wanna fight too, I'm strong you know. You saw right? When we were in the courtyard. I can fight."

I rested a hand between my shoulder and neck, still remembering the bruises on my back. "Yeah, I remember…" 'I Can't believe it actually hurts just thinking about it, Shouldn't I be pretty much healed by now?' "You were pretty amazing Lu…"

She puffed out her chest like a proud little kid, flexing her muscles.

"Lu…" Airsidh muttered with a slightly annoyed groan.

When she looked up at me she froze and suddenly stopped, although I couldn't understand why.

I was usually uncomfortable with silence. I had to learn to be in a quiet area when I was alone without my computer to play music, but it was still hard being in silence when I was around people. For once, though it didn't bother me, just gave me time to think.

'I've been working on controlling my flow of manna, and my body isn't as cold, maybe I can use it again.'

As they sat there I closed my eyes, focusing on the blood running through me, and the manna circulating through my body. 'If I can regulate its flow then I should be able to use it without draining too much.

First I examined myself, largely ignoring my status for the time being, admittedly a little afraid to look at it. 'I know she's strong, but how strong exactly.'

I opened my eyes, controlling the flow of manna, letting only the smallest amount circulate around my eyes, and trying not to let any leak out.

Before my eyes, her status screen appears right before my eyes. 'I can use it without even losing manna. I just have to circulate it around my eyes instead of forcing it out through them. It just takes some time.'

A part of me felt stupid for how I used to use my magic, shooting manna out of my body as fast as I could. This new way was much different. I felt a gentle warmth rising in my face, instead of a burst of heat through my whole body.

Wayalusayo.

Strength

80

Agility

70

Endurance

100

Constitution

100

Intelligence

80

Wisdom

100

Total / Level

530

Faith

800

Divinity

0

Magic

0

She wasn't kidding, Not one bit. All of her stats were through the roof for a 12-year-old… Compared to me, most of her stats were double mine, her constitution being 4 times greater. Well, at least compared to me from a couple of months ago.

I quickly compared it to my own.

Strength

45

Agility

65

Endurance

101

Constitution

40

Intelligence

120

Wisdom

205

Total / Level

585

Faith

289

Divinity

7

Magic

0

My constitution had gone up some, which was likely why my wounds were able to sea on their own with treatment, even without magic to break the curse.

It might have just been all the times I had been facing death recently, but even taking that into account, it felt good to the numbers improving. I even had more endurance than her, which I thought was a huge win. Considering the discrepancies everywhere else… I kind of felt like I needed one.

I had more intelligence and wisdom, but I still didn't really even know what they meant, and it certainly didn't feel like they mattered, in that regard, whatever "Faith" was, she had way more of that, so it might as well of made us even.

"You wanna fight or something?" Lu asked, taking a step forward. As I lost focus the manna in my eyes dispersed through my head, shocking all of my senses awake at once. Lu was close enough that I could hear her heartbeat for a moment. 

She was trying to act intimidating, but I could see every move she could make and came up with a counter to each one just as as fast. She may have been good with a sword, but she didn't bother with fistfights, it was probably the only thing I could say I might have been better than her at.

Because of all of that, I didn't feel threatened at all, instead, it was almost kind of cute. A little kid trying to act tough.

As soon as I lost focus the screen went away and my eyes suddenly felt cold. I could still hear her heartbeat though, her breath, and 'wait, what did she say?' "What? No, why would I want to fight you?"

She growled. "What were you staring at then?"

I chuckled nervously, finding it a bit hard to explain. "Sorry about that."

"That look in your eye was the same as it was just before you landed a strike on Mom…"

'I have a look? If I'm going to hide the fact that I'm using magic it has to become more natural…' I looked down, trying to close my hands. 'Even though my senses were heightened my body feels sluggish now, like it just woke up… That has to change too.'