Magia: Eli's Awakening (BxB)

Chapter 53- Reconciliation

They sat in silence, neither ready to talk about the latest events that had happened in their lives. The winter temperatures had spread all the way to the island now and it lightly snowed as they stared at the leafless flora around them.

Mr. Donia broke the silence, Eli seemed quite troubled in his presence and he wanted to know why. "What happened?"

"I found Aurum and Zeke." Mr. Donia narrowed his gaze at the boy, signaling that he was in no mood to beat around any bushes.

Eli twisted on the bench, growing more uncomfortable the longer the teacher stared at him. He didn't want Mr. Donia to know about what he did, he was ashamed of himself and a bit scared.

He didn't want to tell the man he viewed as a father figure that he had taken lives in his endeavors to rescue Aurum, he was scared he would look at him differently.

"I killed people."

Mr. Donia wasn't surprised, it would've been quite a feat to return without some blood on his hands. Chances were if you lived in this world you would have blood on your hands.

"You were protecting you family Eli." He empathized his point by focusing his complete attention on the boy and looking him straight in the eyes. "I'd kill for you as well."

"You don't understand. I didn't feel- no, I don't feel anything about the lives I took, it doesn't bother me at all."

"Eli, you weren't in your right state of mind. The bond between you and your dragon is special. I saw how you were in the hospital, you were... indifferent, cold. But you aren't now and that's what matters."

Eli mindlessly nodded along, it made sense. While he hadn't felt guilty about what he'd done, he certainly did feel disturbed about the lack of feeling so if he could blame it on some mystical bond, he would.

"Where's Zeke?"

"Him and Ethan are staying at a hotel in town. Ethan's too scared to visit Elana and Zeke doesn't know what he's going to do."

"Why not get him enrolled here?"

"It's far too expensive, I don't even know how I'm at this school, isn't it for like elitists?"

"I paid for you."

"What!?"

"I..." He cleared his throat and continued, swallowing down the foul memory that dared to rear its ugly head in his thoughts. "I paid for you."

"With what money? Even the lower end of nobles struggle to pay for this place."

"Teacher discount." Eli gave the man a blank stare not believing that for a second.

"If he wants to enroll here, I can make it happen."

"No we couldn-"

"Yes. You could."

Eli hugged the older man. He really looked up to him, he was so kind and selfless. He hoped that one day he could be as strong as he was. With a pat on the back he left him to go deliver the news.

Mr. Donia did not get a teacher's discount. He had used the money he had saved for his children's education, seeing as they wouldn't be needing it from beyond the grave.

With Eli's departure went his composure, he needed some time alone to process everything that had happened.

He teleported to his room on campus. The room was bare of any personal items, no pictures or even a complementary painting. He tried to rid himself of anything that would remind him of the life he had lived before. If he had to move right then and there he would've been able to pack in less than five minutes.

It hit him suddenly and he covered his mouth and eased himself down against the wall into the corner of the room. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He let his head rest on them as he cried. His black hair covered his face and hid the tears but it couldn't hide the sound of the sobs that racked his body.

As he sobbed, he sunk his fingernails into his skin, breaking into it and blood poured out as attempted to override his emotions with pain. It didn't work.

It had been years since he had truly broken down. In the earlier years it was a frequent occurrence and he combatted it with alcohol until he began to crave the numbness that alcohol provided.

It was the principal and Tatiana that had helped him out of that slump, mostly Tatiana. She was always there for him and the one time she needed him, he failed her. This was his fault, he put her up to it, he wasn't fast enough.

While the position was uncomfortable, it did help him somewhat feel not so alone with the walls pressed to his back and that was how he remained for the rest of that day, hidden from the world but not his thoughts.

***

Akira was with Elana in the hospital room. While she had woken up, she was still pretty busted up and that's why they hadn't moved her to the infirmary on campus yet. There were tears streaming down her face as she apologized profusely.

Her white hair blended in with her silk white sheets, and the life in her grey eyes had returned as she was finally able to sit up without the help of the mechanical bed.

Akira herself was still injured, but due to Zeke's healing capabilities she was able to be up and about much sooner than she anticipated.

Elana, the ever kindhearted soul she was immediately forgave her. She even told her it wasn't her fault, she was the only one that believed that Akira was the one hurt the most throughout this entire thing.

Akira clutched onto Elana as she sobbed and the pale girl only smiled faintly and held her closer. She had no ill will towards Akira but she was feeling particularly upset at the moment.

Everyone had visited her, save for one. Her brother, Ethan. She knew he blamed himself. She wasn't leaving this bed anytime soon and she really wanted to see him badly. She couldn't have her baby brother thinking that she hated him, especially given his insecurities.

"Akira?" Akira immediately lifted her head, following the hoarse voice that had called her name. "Can you get Ethan to visit me?"

A tear slipped down Elana's cheek at her request and Akira felt something prick her heart. There was no way she could deny her anything.

She nodded and began to wipe her tears away when she felt Elana's hand on her cheek.

"You didn't hurt me Kira. You said it yourself, please don't beat yourself up over this." More tears sprang from her eyes and her heart raced as Elana's cold palm pressed against her cheek.

She nodded and with a short hug she set off to find Ethan who was currently in some trouble himself.

"You better talk fast." Zeke said as he rubbed at his hands, the obsidian cuffs finally coming off after a two day journey. He wanted to strangle the boy infront of him, but he wasn't sure he could do so without straddling him.

Ethan sat on his bed and his head fell in his hands, his messy long white hair fell over them and Zeke instantly reacted to it, which prompted him to sit as well.

"How many people have you met with a 'fated bond' Zeke?" The boy shrugged, not seeing how that was of any relevance. What he did pay attention to was the way his name rolled off Ethan's tongue.

The past two days had been hell for the boys. Their hormones were all over the place, and while it did annoy Zeke to no end, he was also on cloud nine by just being in the taller boy's presence.

"What does that matter?"

"It's why I took you here."

He motioned to the room, they sat in and Zeke glanced around it. While he was a stranger to luxury, that didn't mean he couldn't identify it.

They had gotten the suit on short notice, and Zeke didn't miss the small pouch of gold coins that Ethan had given to the receptionist either. Ethan appeared to be well off from what he and his bum that was situated on satin sheets could tell.

"Then explain."

"There's only been one family that's been blessed with this bond Zeke." He lifted a brow, signaling to Ethan to carry on. "The royal one."