Water or Fire?

The question was really simple

Water or Fire?

Which to start with?

Ultimately, the question didn't hold any practical value in itself, because anyway, once Leus was done with one of the two, he would start the other.

Yet, the question was so difficult ... so difficult that Leus wasn't able to answer it.

Water or Fire?

It represented a new chapter in Leus' life.

A chapter where he won't have it as easy anymore.

A chapter where he would have to actually depend on himself to become stronger.

A chapter where he would have to think and make decisions by himself instead of just listening to what others tell him.

Water or Fire?

So simple, yet, so difficult.

Leus knew, deep inside him he knew, that once he answered this question, his relationship with Arno would be pretty much over.

Sure, it's not like Arno would suddenly disappear or something.

He would still be here, he would always be in the library for the next few years or even decades...

Leus had no idea how much time was left for Arno to live.

But regardless,

He wouldn't be the same Arno who first gave Leus a book to study spells as a challenge to become his apprentice.

He wouldn't be the same Arno who had accepted Leus as his pupil and kept teaching him all sorts of different things to become more powerful.

He wouldn't be the same Arno who gave Leus countless materials that even Blaze didn't imagine acquiring.

He wouldn't be the same Arno who answered almost every single one of Leus' questions no matter how long it took or how complicated it was.

Quite frankly, he wouldn't be Arno anymore.

To Leus, Arno would go back to being The Librarian.

Leus wasn't naive, sure, his emotions held him back to an extent, but deep inside him, he was well aware of the reality of his relationship with Arno.

In essence, the true nature of that relationship was really simple.

Symbiotic

The only reason Arno decided to teach Leus wasn't because of the goodness of his heart or his love for Leus, it was simply because he had something to gain.

And Leus knew that.

Arno actually said it to him more than once.

It was just a Business Relationship.

Leus experienced how the world works by himself, and he knew that if he wasn't competent enough, Arno would have never even glanced at him.

But despite all that, Leus felt indebted to Arno.

Arno gave Leus what he now wanted the most, Power.

It doesn't matter what he would get in return from someone else, it didn't cost Leus anything.

And on top of that, Arno treated Leus really well.

Arno gave him the Library's Emblem from the first day.

Arno gave him control over the Library's Guards.

Arno helped him with his problem with the Crimson Guards.

Arno brought Remedy to help him when he injured himself.

Arno even gave Felix a vacation just because Leus asked him to.

Although Leus viewed himself as the weak side of the relationship, he never actually felt that because Arno granted him every request.

Water or Fire?

Answering that would end all this

Leus thought that he was prepared to leave Arno's side and move forward.

That's what he thought before entering this room at least.

But now, it didn't feel that way anymore.

He realized that answering this question would transform it from a hypothetical situation in his head to a reality that he had to live with.

Arno would no longer be Leus' Master.

And Leus honestly didn't want that.

But sadly, it didn't matter what Leus wanted.

Arno isn't his father, and he wouldn't take care of him forever, actually, it's very possible that Arno would kick him out if he became complacent or stopped advancing.

Life will move on, and Leus had to move forward as well.

Leus just hoped that Arno wouldn't treat him as a total stranger after everything was over, that'd hurt him a lot.

And ... maybe, someday, Leus would be able to pay Arno back.

Maybe someday Leus would find a way to do something beneficial to Arno.

If it was possible, Leus would never hesitate.

Leus cared a lot about his people, and despite how Arno viewed him, Leus viewed Arno as one of his people, and Leus would do whatever it took to make his people happy.

Water or Fire?

A while had passed since Arno asked that question, yet, Leus still didn't reply.

He only kept staring at the two books in front of him with bleary eyes, a bit watery and unfocused.

Clearly, he wasn't thinking about which book to choose.

Minutes passed, and Arno remained silent

'Either something happened to him before he came here, or he's thinking about something really important'

After running countless experiments, Arno became extremely good at understanding human nature, noticing the slightest changes in auras, and many other similar things.

So he knew that it was a bad idea to interrupt someone lost so deep in thought.

Yet

'I can't even guess what he is thinking about'

'He looked perfectly fine when he first entered, but now he isn't'

After a bit of thinking, Arno was able to come to a plausible conclusion

'Perhaps, he didn't sort out his emotions regarding this matter yet'

Arno decided to give Leus as much time as he needed, and he remained quiet.

'Coming to terms with the situation and sorting out his emotions is very good for his growth as a person, after all, we aren't building a war machine here.'

'What's the point of all the power in the world if the person controlling it acts on impulse and can't even sort his emotions or be decisive about his decisions?'

After about 30 minutes of asking the question, Leus was slowly able to reorganize his thoughts and get his emotions under control

'No matter what happens, Arno will always be my Master.'

He raised his face and looked into Arno's ocean-blue eyes

"I'm ready, Master"

Arno faintly smiled

"Good, Water or Fire?"