Chapter 19: A New Chance.
The workshop was freezing cold. Snow fell everywhere, and an automaton robot stood frozen in the middle of the room.
Two people were calm, while one was paralyzed with shock.
Gul didn't understand.
What had happened?
Just a few seconds ago, X1 was going to explode, and everything was about to blow up without leaving anything behind.
And now she was suffering from an extreme cold she never expected to feel.
It wasn't winter.
Where did the ice come from?
Where did the snow come from?
It wasn't logical. Not for someone like her, who always looked for a coherent answer.
The only possible answer to explain this phenomenon was the worst one a scientist could imagine. It was as if it had appeared by magic.
Those thoughts were not acceptable.
—That was exciting, wasn't it? —Lux spoke. His cheerful voice echoed in the workshop, which had now turned into an icebox.
—I didn't know you could make ice —Bianca said as she walked closer to the boy. Her uniform had a few scratches from the recent battle.
—Mages can use any spell if they train enough. But most only learn the basics or specialize in what they like —Lux explained calmly.
—What are the basics? —Bianca asked, curious.
—Hmm... I don't remember... —Lux thought carefully—. Elements, protective shields, flying on a broomstick...
—You can fly on a broomstick?!
—Of course not. A broomstick isn't necessary.
While the two kept talking, Gul just watched them with a mix of emotions. She was confused, anxious, tired, but above all, angry.
—Hey, you two! —Gul shouted, getting their attention—. I want an explanation! What was all that?! —she said, agitated.
Bianca panicked. She had completely forgotten about Gul. Too many things had happened in less than an hour. She was tired, her uniform was ruined from fighting a robot, Lux had frozen the robot with his spell before it exploded, and now a girl was standing there with a thousand questions about what had just happened.
She definitely didn't want to deal with this right now.
—Ah, well... that was... —Bianca didn't know what to say. She didn't have an excuse for this situation. She could only invent something coherent enough that might work—. Your imagination.
—Do I look stupid to you?! —Gul yelled, angry that they were treating her like she was naive. She had witnessed everything in full detail. No simple answer was going to convince her easily.
Bianca tried to think of something to keep the secret of magic safe. She looked at Lux for help, but he wasn't beside her anymore.
—I'll be honest with you, Gul —Lux's voice sounded. His footsteps crunched on the thin ice covering the floor—. What you just saw is what Bianca and I like to call magic... —He stopped in front of the blonde girl—. And I am a mage.
Bianca's eyes went wide.
Gul didn't react. Her hair covered her eyes.
—Are you making fun of me? —Gul asked. Her agitated voice turned into a quiet, emotionless whisper—. Everyone is the same... —Her fists clenched tightly—. Everyone makes fun of me! —she shouted in rage as she grabbed Lux by his uniform, pulling him close. Her blonde hair moved, revealing her teary brown eyes that showed all her sadness.
—Why are you like this? —Gul's voice began to break
—. I always wondered... if it was my fault that people treated me this way —She lowered her head
—. I tried to make friends and I never could. They called me useless... —she complained in a low voice
—. My first friend was a robot I built from scratch, and it already stopped working... —Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at the frozen X1
—. You almost got hurt or worse, and it was all my fault... —Her broken voice faded away
—. I can't do anything right... I don't deserve your forgiveness —She let go of Lux's uniform, hanging her head and staring at the ground—. Scold me for my negligence.
Bianca felt a pang of pain seeing Gul's grief.
How could anyone comfort a person in that state?
—Gul... —Without another word, Lux raised his hand toward the blonde girl.
Gul closed her eyes, waiting for her punishment.
She only felt a gentle pat on her head.
Confused, she looked up and saw the boy's yellow eyes looking back at her with a serene smile.
A smile that showed no hate, no mockery, and no superiority.
A smile that confused her.
—...Please don't treat yourself like that —Lux said—. Don't treat yourself like a useless person —Lux's eyes looked at her with kindness as he removed his hand from her head.
—B-but... you almost got hurt because of me —Gul said, her voice cracking as she blamed herself.
—But you tried to protect me, even knowing you could get hurt —Lux argued—. In the short time we've spent together, I've learned a lot about you. I know the way you speak, your joy, your anger, your sadness, and your dreams. Do you remember when you introduced me to X1? —Lux asked, waiting for a response.
—...You said it was incredible... —Gul answered, a bit calmer.
Lux smiled.
—Yup! And I think that if you give yourself another chance, you can be twice as incredible —he said with excitement—. And I hope that when that happens, you invite me to your workshop again... as your friend.
Gul's eyes opened wide in surprise.
His friend?
What kind of person calls you a friend after all that?
Lux was very strange in the eyes of the young genius. To Gul, a person like him wasn't sane, but...
...could she really complain?
The answer was no.
She doubted herself, but someone had just entered her life to give her a new chance to trust.
Gul wiped her tears and shook the boy's hand.
—Okay —she said, trying to hide a small smile.
Bianca remained silent, watching the whole conversation. Her gaze shifted to Lux. Just like with Gul, Lux had taught her to change her way of thinking. She had seen how he expressed himself, how he used magic, and how he connected with people. She knew his dream of wanting to change the world like a miracle, but...
...would everyone be willing to accept that miracle?
—
Somewhere else.
—Boss, our radars detected a large pulse of magic energy, similar to last time, at one of the schools in the same city —a female voice said firmly—. It is very likely the same mage as before.
—I see. So people don't get suspicious, we will send one of the apprentices undercover to investigate the area —replied someone with a cold, emotionless voice—. They won't be able to hide from us.
End.
What do you think about of they story?