"How is everything?" Rio asked as he opened the door and stepped into the room. I looked up from the magic book and shrugged. Rhea hasn't woken up, not even for a second. "I haven't been able to understand the magic at all. Rhea has yet to get conscious," I said sadly.
"Magic?" He asked. He had invited himself in and pulled up a chair to take a seat in front of me. I nodded a little, "Athea left it for me and told me to learn it but I don't understand enough for it to open up the magic lessons," I voiced out my struggles, "Most of the sentences are honestly very hard to understand."
"Could you read one out to me and I'll try to help you understand it and you can get a rough idea from there," he offered. "I'm not sure if it will work that way but okay," I said, flipping through the pages of the book. One that confused me most and got me slightly afraid of this magic was written on the page I was on. "Was it your memory or was it just a memory that belonged to someone else? Perhaps a surreal fake memory implanted to your very own memory."
Rio raised an eyebrow, "Arran, what magic are you learning?" he asked. "Memory," I simply replied while showing him the title of the book. "Arran, this magic isn't easy to learn, it is one of the high-class magic. It can implant a fake memory in someone and trigger it. It can trigger past memories. It can extract a memory from their past and use it against them as long as that memory involves pain and power. It can also create an illusion to put the person in a surreal surrounding, though it is not real. The amount of emotional pain you can cause somebody with this magic is crazy. But if you do not learn to control it well, it can consume you. There are a lot more the magic can do but I do suggest you learn it yourself. However Arran, I have to warn you, memory magic is not easy."
It can kill me, huh? But it sounds so good and I want to learn it and unravel the unhappy past of my enemies. If they become who they are now because of something that happened in the past, I could help myself and help them too. I looked at Rio with slight uncertainty. "I suggest you take some time off the book and think about it. Don't end up risking your life."
"Now, I think it's time to go through with the procedure," Rio said. I put the book back in the drawer and turned towards Rio, "A'ight I'm ready," I said, adjusting my shirt. "Could you call Athea? Help is very much needed for this," he said requesting help from my one and only guardian angel. I tried calling out to her in my head but a mist appeared beside me and the moment it was gone, Athea stood there in her physical form, "No need to call me, I am here now, let's get to it before I change my mind."
"Alright, alright," Rio said and held us together. He then teleports us to another room that looked similar to an operating room. There was two operation table in the middle of the room. Rhea was teleported to one of the table and me on the other. "Arran, I'll put you to sleep now. If you see Rhea in your dreamland. Keep her close," Athea said before putting magic on me to drive me off.
+++
A cold breeze blew past me. I was under the cooling tree, just sitting around. I had a purpose to be here but what was I supposed to do? I am Arran and I am a traveling merchant, currently taking a rest before continuing my journey.
I looked around and saw a girl near the lake. She just stared at the body of water. Does she wanna fall in and drown herself? She walked closer to the lake, step by step with each step getting slower and more dreadful. I got up and ran towards her. I engulf her in a hug and pulled her back, "miss! you have so much to live for, don't do this to yourself!"
She pushed me off and took a few steps back, "Get off! I wasn't going to kill myself!" she yelled. She hugged herself. "What were you going to do then?" I asked in concern. She glared at me and turn towards the lake. "I can't touch the water because if I did, I would get shocked," she said, trailing off at the end sadly. "I really like water though. I wonder what it feels like."
"Oh..." I said sadly. "It feels like it flows down your skin like a soft fabric running down your body," I said. I know it's not accurate but it's the least I could say. She nodded slightly. "Where are your family?" I asked. She shrugged, "I never knew who they were, I've just run away from the orphanage."
I stared at her in disbelief. I sighed, "A girl like you shouldn't be here alone. I'm on the way to a local town to do some business, would you like to join me? I will protect you," I offered. She looked hesitant at first and gave it a thought. "You can take your time to think about it, I'll be around a while more before I start moving."
I saw her nod and I slowly walked back towards the tree. I took a seat where I was and sighed. "By the way, my name is Arran, Arran Frye," I introduced myself to her. It was then silent. Did she not hear it? I turned back around and saw her leaning against another tree not too far from me.
"Sir Arran Frye," she called out. I furrowed my eyebrows. "Just call me Arran," I said. She only nodded with a quiet 'okay.'
"What should I call you?" I asked her. She looked at me, "Rhea."