Chapter 58

"Here you go," Amyra handed him the cup of tea and took a seat across him. 

"So, haw bad have things been?" asked Amyra.

"Bad," said Ash and took a sip. "I mean its always been bad, but now they are even more tangled up, I can't see a way through and have no idea what's going to happen if we keep doing what we are doing," said Ash.

"I had surmised that much from all the different colored armor soldiers that have been coming in the city," she said.

"Yeah, and there is one more army coming tomorrow in the afternoon sometime, a human one," said Ash.

"Well I have to say I want to see that, I have never seen so many humans before," she said.

"They are not all like me," said Ash.

"I know that, nobody I have ever met is like you," said Amyra.

"We have only met once before, you know," he said. 

"Yeah I know, but I am good at reading people, a part of my powers, even though people have similar affinities but everyone has a different relationship with their powers as a result of their personalities and hoe their brain works, and if you remember you let me examine you last time, and I saw your aura and it's color," said Amyra.

"What color was it?" he asked.

"They are not one color, more like a spectrum of colors like a rainbow, but if I have to pick one I would say blue, which is what told me that your affinity was related to sky," she said.

"I have to say, it's been a while since I have started experiencing and knowing more about all this magic stuff, but I still not understand it completely, I had thought there would be a more systematic method to it, but its all very vague and I don't like it," he said annoyed and she laughed.

"I know what you mean, a lot of people feel that way, even I did, but soon you realize that's how it is for everyone so it can't be helped, but there are some who have a more stronger grip on these unnatural forces," she said.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I can't prove it you or even describe it properly, but as you know when I was in the academy, I did a lot of research into new ways and methods into healing and other things related to mana, although I never got to explore the human kingdom much, we did had some exposure to other races and even within them I always felt that there were some individuals or some phenomenons that fell outside my understanding of the rules of magic," said Amyra.

"I think I know what you mean, but I have only experience it with things like that white fruit that you elves have, not with people," said Ash, he was also thinking of the sacred waters of the amazons.

"Yeah, I guess from your perspective that is kind of like a cheat too, but your body starts adjusting to it, after some time it doesn't help you the same amount, only the young ones really use it in the early years of their training," she said.

"Yeah, I forget sometimes from how young you look, that I am just a newbie compared to you," he said.

"Thanks for reminding me I am old," she said a little flatly.

"I didn't mean to offend you," he said afraid.

"No, no, I am just messing with you," she said laughing.

"Although I am kind of insecure about it, I mean elves don't really get old so soon, but since I have been banished and all, I really feel like I am outdated compared to you who has so much to do," she said.

"From my perspective, you are nothing but really wise, interesting and a little mysterious," he said.

"Nothing about my beauty," she said.

"Yeah and really hot," he added a little confidently and they both laughed.

"So tomorrow is the day, when the human forces will arrive, you will start an attack I suppose?" she asked.

"Yeah, if they get here with enough time, we will enough people, that we can try all kinds of fighting strategies, we can even just launch long range attacks at the canyon and take the risque of half of our mages running out of their mana," he said.

"You seem to know a lot about armies, you talk like a general," she said.

"I have been reading a book," he said.

"So it means, tonight is extra special," she said slowly.

"Yeah, and I can't think of another way to spend it," he said.

"Why?" she asked.

"Why what?" he asked back.

"Why do you waste your time with me, usually people just look at me like I am a villiain or a crazy woman," she said. 

"They don't know your story, maybe I did trusted you a little too much at the start, but even then I think my mind realized after seeing Kevin and how sweet and a good kid he is, that no one really bad can raise a kid that way, or raise a kid at all, they are not easy to raise ask my mom, she had to raise three," said Ash.

"and after knowing me?" she asked.

"I had a very simple life growing up, in my small village, I was an average child and I never took charge of my life, it was always just me reacting to what life threw at me, I had no ambition no focus, even now I am not sure what I am or what I want to be, and so I admire your story, you didn't waste the earlier parts of your life like I did, " he said.

"Yeah, but you didn't had the same opportunities, you didn't even know you had a magic affinity, " she said and then they both stayed quiet, Ash looked outside the window the night sky was just turning blue the first light of the sun had just started breaking the dark sky when the sun hadn't even appeared in the sky yet.

Ash was about to finish his tea with the last sip when he jumped from his table when something burned his leg. He cried and fell to the floor. Amyra got on the floor beside him asking what was wrong. He was squirming trying to get something out of his pocket.

He found it the hot thing that was burning his skin and took it out and threw it away, his fingers had burnt too.

"What happened?" Amyra asked taking his hand in her hands, she immediately started doing something which made his hand feel better.

"It's that ring, " he said looking at the ring lying in the corner now it was glowing slightly.

"It suddenly got hot and burnt me, " he said.

"It's not yours? Where did you find it?" she asked.

"I find it on a goblin on a shaman, " he said.

They went over to look at it.

"Do you know what it is?" he asked.

"I think it might be a signaling ring, you know it gets hot when it's time, " she said.

"It's definitely elven though right?" he asked.

"Yeah definitely elven, why would a shaman have an elven ring though? " she asked.

Ash looked at her wondering the same thing and then his eyes got wide with realisation and fear.

"Come with me, hurry!" he grabbed her hand and started running out of the house.

"No, you go, I'll come find you, I need to do something, " she said stopping.

"You don't know! " he began to say but she stopped him by placing a finger on his lips and looking him in the eyes, there faces were inches closer now.

"I am not that stupid, I figured it out too," she said and then she kissed him, it was quick but full of passion and longing.

"I'll find you, " she said stepping back.

"I don't know where I will be, " he said.

"I'll know, like the knock, my heart will know where you will be, now go you need to save my people, " she said.

Ash looked at her and in that moment tried to memorize all of her in his brain, she didn't look much different from that first night, he had met a lot of beautiful girls and elves so far, but he knew there was something different about this one, he had felt it from the first night.

He ran out of the house leaving the peaceful world he had entered for a while, the Ash from a few weeks ago might have ran the other way, or not move at all because of fear, but with the faces of the people he had known in his heart he ran with all his speed as the sunlight broke on the horizon.