5 Chapter 4: Meetings

Erin's eyes fluttered open. Pressing against his back was the ice-cold leather chair he was stationed in. Suddenly a piercing headache enveloped his senses. Psions hold much power, but if overused, the backlash of overusing them causes excruciating pain. Psionic Backlash was the leading cause of death in the field among Eldritch Knights. Many died from the immense pain of overusing their abilities far past the limit.

When Erin was 5 years old, he experimented many times with how psionics worked in the brain. Psionics is something akin to a needle and thread, sowing the body together and running throughout.

His first discovery was the manipulation of nerves through psionic means. Turning certain nerves on and off, something only master Eldritch Knights could do. After his discovery, he began experimenting with ways to effectively cure Psionic Backlash.

In many of the ruined countries turned to psionic wastes by their efforts to manipulate psionic energy, the psionics changed the surrounding metals into psionic crystals. These psionic crystals can be harvested by people to be used in clothing, weapons, and as power sources. Erin utilized these psionic crystals as he caused himself backlash after backlash and interacted with the dormant psionics in the crystals to absorb them into his body.

His revolutionary discovery was kept quiet by his mother, who told him that it was better that he keep his discoveries to himself than share them with others. After all, he was only 5 years old.

He reached into one of his many pockets and pulled out a bag full of psionic crystals. He plucked one out and took a deep breath as if breathing in the energy inside. The restored psionics subsided his headache as he exhaled the air out of his lungs. 'If only I could make the process not look like I'm huffing some drug.'

He moved his arms on top of the armrests and pulled his body up to get a better view of where he was.

Gazing at the surrounding area, he took everything in. The Beautiful ornate walls. The crimson-lined chair behind a grand desk, overflowing with paper. Across from him sat a white-haired, blue-eyed, natural beauty.

Wearing a simple White-collared long-sleeve button-down with a black tie, tucked into pitch-black pants that further define her waistline. Her eyes staring into his like she was trying to find his soul just by looking through them. She straightened up in her chair and opened her mouth to speak.

"I leave for two seconds and what do you do? You proceed to beat a kid within an inch of his life, while the whole school is watching! Do you understand what you did?!" The woman sat up from the chair and started walking over to Erin. Her heeled boots pounding like a hammer on the wooden floor as she approached him.

'Oh, shit. Oh, shit.' Erin resounded in his head over and over again. His eyes still trying to focus on whoever this woman was, after recovering from his recent backlash.

Clenching his eyes shut, he heard the hammering stopped behind him. The woman stooped lower as he felt the hot rush of air flowing through his hair. He felt her arms drape past his neck as her head laid on his shoulder. "You're going to be the death of me, you know that?" she whispered into his ear.

"I know, V" Erin smiled as she stood up and walked to the chair beside him.

"So...What's with the whole get-up? Are you my lawyer now?"

"No," she said with an airy tone, "It's because we are in waiting for the headmaster to return so we talk can about your little...Accident."

In the next minute, the doors burst open. A cleaned-up Greying man came through the door, eyeing Erin like a fan having a chance to talk to their idol for the first time. He came up to the startled Erin and outstretched his hand for a handshake.

Erin attempted to take his hand but was it was futile as it was grabbed before he could even lift it past his waist and was shaken profusely.

"It is such an honor to finally meet you, Erin. I've been waiting for the day I could meet Sara's child." He said still shaking Erin's hand, "I'm Henry Silverworth, Ah you can call me Mr. Silverworth," He winked, "Thank you for coming all this way to Silverworth Academy."

Erin looked over to V for some help but she turned away from him, not wanting to suffer the same fate as her counterpart. 'Damn you, you "Protector"' he shot a message to V.

An audible cough filled the room. Silverworth paused for a moment and turned his head at the source of the sound.

"Mr. Silverworth, as you know this is not a meet and greet," V said with wavering confidence. "Could you please unhand my counterpart so we can begin to resolve more pressing matters?"

Silverworth dropped Erin's hand and started towards his desk, straightening his tie. "Ah, you're no fun," he said muttering under his breath, loud enough though that V could hear. She gave a disapproving look at the old man.

****

Henry Silverworth took up his glasses and leaned back into his chair.

"Erin," he started, "I know what you've done, and I know you know what you've done. Cole is in great condition thanks to your," he waved his hands around in circles in an effort to summon a word that fit the image in his mind.

"You mean; Awesome Lightshow of Awesomeness...," Erin said with a proud tone. Silverworth continued to stare at Erin, meanwhile, V's hands were hiding her face trying to escape the embarrassment of being in the same vicinity of Him.

"Sure...that," Silverworth paused. "Anyway, Thanks to...that, Cole has recovered nicely. But there will still be consequences for your actions." A suspenseful air filled the room as they awaited the Headmaster's verdict.

A snicker snuck out of the Headmaster, which turned into joyus laughter as he tried to wheeze out the words, tears jumping out of his eyes.

"Y-you," small giggles interrupting his attempts to speak. Erin and V looked at each other dumbstruck, trying to piece together what exactly he had planned for them.

"Your punishment will be to tutor my grandaughter." The man managed to deliver in between his fits of giggles.

The two eyed the Headmaster, thinking that this was the joke he had been laughing at for some time now. Silverworth recognized their gazes on animosity and calmed down to a docile state. "I can see that you two think that this is some joke, right?"

"Well, from the way that you were just laughing, I'd say that is a mighty fine conclusion. Don't you think?" V said turning to Erin, who shook his head agreeing with her.

A large creek resonated from the large wooden doors of the office. through the door way lead a girl with a smaller boy being dragged into the office. Dangling from his hands was a small colorful toy. She set the boy down in a chair and walked over to the desk stationed in front of the old man.

"Grandpa, what the hell happened this morning?! Who is this new student?! What happened to Cole?!" She said shouting, demanding answers from him.

Silverworth pointed his finger at Erin, "Well...your new tutor may be able to answer those questions." Not even sparing Erin a thought, she continued to debate the old man. "This isn't funny, there's no one in this school better at psionics than me."

"uhm, should I leave?" Erin spoke out to the squabbling duo.

Silverworth waved his hand at Erin expressing his dismissal. Erin and his counterpart departed towards the doors. "Oh V, could you please stay awhile. I have some things to discuss regarding his enrollment," the Headmaster said. Quickly being pulled back into the debate between himself and his grandaughter.

"Certainly Headmaster." she said but was not heard over the sound their voices. She looked to Erin, "Just wait outside, Mommy will be done in a minute." She sneered, pinching his cheeks.

"Ugh, please don't call yourself that ever again." Erin replied, swatting her hand away. The doors closed with a thud, leaving him in the gothic halls like a child waiting to go home