A Familiar Dream

There is one word to describe today; Hell

Amy threw up violently at the toilet. 

"Haa" she stood up to look in front of the mirror. I look terrible.

Due to all the potions she drank while curing them, it began to affect her stomach. She took some nausea and stomach medicine but there is a limit to how much she could hold it in. The pain to her stomach is so intense that she had to use magic to make it bearable until she gets a doctor to treat her.

She avoided everyone the entire day and teleport time to time to vomit the contents in her stomach. She even avoided Viola who is still in the infirmary.

She teleports at the checkpoint at the corridor near the infirmary and collapsed in front of the door.

Drifting

Drifting

Drifting

That's what her body feels like. It's like falling gracefully.

"H-"

"Hello,"

She noticed her surroundings looking as dark as a void but with visible mist surrounding her. It has been a long time but she would never forget this.

"It's you." She then frantically looks around covered her mouth in shock at the sound of her voice. "I'm not dead, am I?" She sounds much older. She looked down to see that she looks different as well.

"No, but you are in a deep sleep. All those potions and it didn't kill you."

She crossed her arms in response. "I learned how to improve my alchemy with the construction ability you bestowed upon me."

"I know and I am quite proud of you. You're not a scientist but you might as well be one."

"Perhaps it is due to my experience in my old life."

"Perhaps," the disembodied voice replied thoughtfully.

She frowned with both worry and determination. "Why are you here?"

"To check up on you, of course. My colleagues are so proud of what you have accomplished so far. It is not the most interesting but your growth is tremendous."

She isn't surprised to hear that but is admittedly horrified. Have they been spying on her?

The voice chuckled nervously as if it read her mind. "We're gods, my dear. We do not have the same sense of shame that mortals have so please don't think of us as perverted."

"Somehow that doesn't make me feel any better." She says indignantly.

"There is something I should warn you about."

"Warn me? I thought you have no intention of interfering."

"I said I don't have intention of interfering but-"

Amy then blink open her heavy eyes and saw Viola's crying face. She can see that she's in the infirmary. Amy could tell her to go back but she feels far too weak to say much.

"Thank god, you're awake!" She cried and her eyes are mangled with heavy tears.

"Are you alright?" Amy asked her sister while grabbing her hand for solace.

"Am I alright?!" she repeated while still crying, "You've been asleep for fourteen hours. You took so many rejuvenation potions. It's a miracle you didn't die!" she looked furious, an expression which surprised Amy. "The nurse told me that you're experiencing side effects from your overconsumption. You will need to eat light food from now on until you fully recover."

Amy observed Viola who is wearing her school uniform.

"Leon and Rufus told me everything. Those boys are not gonna get away with this." She grit her teeth, "How could they do this? It could've gotten you killed!"

Amy shook her head, still groggy but aware.

"Don't worry too much. They learned their lesson. They won't do it again."

She nodded while wiping her tears. "By the way, I saw your letter. Going in there was my fault. Oh, also-" she then grabbed three tickets, "I can't believe that you're giving me all your monthly passes. It was my fault. You earned it after all."

The monthly passes are one time rewards given to students with top marks. They give you access outside of the school anytime you want.

"I know you wanted to see the neighboring town for some time. You can take Aquilla and Lune there if you want."

"But-"

"I could just earn another one. You deserve it. Consider it a thank you gift for helping me with the scriptures."

She looked reluctant but nodded in acceptance.

"Now, where are Leon and Rufus?" she asked gripping her knuckles, "I really want to talk to them."

*

Both Leon and Rufus are at the training hall where they are sparing bare-handed until they see Viola approaching them.

"There you are!" Viola was running with Ramiro flying next to her.

"Go back inside. Amy wants to talk to you."

*

"Well, I admit she saved us but I have questions to ask her." Leon said while stretching his back, "I vomit out those damn marbles and my back is killing me. It's been feeling stiff and sore all day!"

Rufus look unfavorably at his friend, "You're really something else, you know that? We almost died! If it wasn't for her, no one would've even found us to begin with."

The boys walked in the room where they noticed Amy sitting up at her bed with a tray on her nightstand.

She stared at them with an irritated expression. "The nurse said that for an entire week, I will have to eat light food which means my diet will only be medicine and that stuff." She pointed to the empty bowl then glared at the two. "Tell me everything that happened last night and I mean EVERYTHING."

"We want to say that we're sorry." Rufus bowed to Amy apologetically. "We made a stupid decision and would've paid the price for it."

Amy stared at Leon who doesn't seem guilty. In fact, this bastard is quite unconcerned. She has every mind to lecture him but her stomach hurts enough for her to not start yelling. Just HOW is Rufus the villain and Leon isn't?

"To tell the truth, I expected you both not to be so apologetic so consider me surprised but I don't want your empty apologies." she says coldly.

Rufus emits a sad expression in response.

"Did you know what you did last night?" she asked.

"We broke inside the stone building." Rufus answered. "We were told that Solin's Labyrinth is in there."

"How did you find us anyway?" Leon asks with gleeful curiosity.

"I'm the one asking questions here!" Amy snapped then flinched at the pain in her stomach. "How did you get in?" she asked while rubbing her belly.

"It was easy on my end to break in but breaking out was the problem. I may not believe in legends as much but I do admit it is quite the discovery. But it was not as the legend describes it." Leon says confidently at first but slowly sounds less optimistic as he continues.

She knows what he did to get in but she didn't think he is this powerful enough to get past its defenses like that. Even though he brushed the whole thing, he still feels something from this experience.

"How did you find out about the labyrinth? That was really dangerous. You guys may be strong but that thing was kept secret for a reason."

"Actually, do you remember the night when we all barged in Leon's room because he broke a glass pitcher?" Rufus said.

She paused for a moment to think then nodded upon remembering it.

"Leon lied about the pitcher."

"I know." She says in a firm tone.

"He told us that he is looking for Solin's labyrinth and thought that he is looking for something."

Amy furrowed her brows at the pair. "Does that make sense to you? How could you believe what he is saying? He broke into Leon's room."

"We didn't believe it but he looks weak, impoverish and desperate. He even has a low quality knife on him as his only weapon." Rufus says ashamed. "He was easily caught and he has no powers but the evidence he has is real."

Leon pulled it out and gave it to Amy who examined it. "You're wrong about this being a low quality knife." She said upon noticing the craftsmanship. It is a tacky looking knife no bigger than a typical blade, made entirely of pig iron meaning it is brittle but has a gilded handle. 

Both boy are confused. "If this were made by humans then it would be low quality." She said calmly while examining it and gave it back to them, listening attentively. "This is elf-made."

Both were stunned for a moment and Amy at least had the decency to leave them alone with their thoughts before they started talking.

"Are you sure?"

Amy nodded. "Of course I know. I've taught myself how to tell the difference between elf-made products and human ones though they are pretty rare." she mumbled.

Elves are not willing to lend any their craftsmanship to humans since they are distrustful towards them. However, there are exceptions. Before Solin's founding, the elves created King Solin's legendary battle axe during the war although the axe was said to be quite temperamental and wouldn't allow anyone else except Solin to wield it. If an elf willingly gave a human one of their items then that must mean they have a reason or return a favor. Each of their products are unique because it is entirely made up of magic and increases all the qualities of the material to its full potential which is always linked to the nature it is made from and the items in question always develop a personality. Even low quality material, in the hands of an elf, could become a powerful tool. This tiny, ugly knife must have powerful, undetectable magic that even Amy cannot distinguish.