Nyxir stood at the threshold of the training hall, hand barely reaching the door when a quiet yet firm voice called his name.
"Nyxir."
He paused, turning half way, brows faintly furrowed.
A girl approached her with deliberate steps-measured not rushed. She stopped a few feet from him, her expression unreadable.
_It's her, what_
_I thought she has left. Has she been there all along_
Nyxir instinctively lowered his head, with flurry of question flooding his mind.
"I'm Caelia," she said. "I think you already know, but we haven't officially met yet."
Her voice was smooth, controlled and unexpectedly confident. It caught Nyxir off guard-not because he didn't expect her to speak but because she sounded nothing like what he had imagined. For someone most people have labeled shy or introverted, her tone held a surprising certainty. A strange contradiction to her character which only deepen her enigma.
"yes, yes- I'm Nyxir," he replied trying to mirror her confidence while studiously keeping his gaze somewhere near her shoulder. "you might have already known that too."
His voice didn't shake, but the way he avoided her eyes was noticeable, even to him.
_ I am not looking into those eyes. Not again_ the thoughts kept echoing in his head. For someone with a lot of secrets, keeping his head low is a small price to pay if he could get to keep his secret.
"I'm sorry about how I made you feel," she said suddenly in a single composed breath. "The truth is I couldn't control my energy before. That's likely why you felt what you feel whenever you look at me. But I've stabilized it now. So…. you can look up."
Nyxir blinked.
_ That's not what I was expecting. _
"Ah…. Okay." He hesitated, then slowly lifted his head.
_ Whatever happens, she could not possibly kill me in the guild. That will be a big trouble for her even if she's some big-shot's daughter, all because she is a devil.
The outline of a gentle round chin slowly came into view, then the curve of her chin, soft and smooth, catching the faint shimmer of indoor light with a trace of baby fat. Then her tightly pursed lips and finally, her eyes. Pearly black like obsidian, polished to a mirror finish. He could see his reflection in them.
He almost flinched.
_beautiful….._
_wait- what am I thinking? Is this what they mean by devilishly beautiful?_
_I have to admit- she is really pretty._
_Is it because I haven't look at her features well that I didn't notice?_
Snapping back to awareness, he coughed lightly and dipped and dipped his head just enough to regain his composure.
"I'm sorry if I unintentionally offend you." He said, sounding more like his relaxed self.
"It's no problem," Caelia replied with a subtle wave of her hand. "I don't usually take offense, I just wanted to clarify that it wasn't intentional."
Nyxir's eyebrow twitched slightly.
_Then why did you come to apologize if you didn't mind?_
_crap! Don't tell me she has fallen for me? How is that possible?_
_I mean, not to brag but I'm currently just Nyxir. Why would someone like her…_
_or maybe her taste in guys is weird too?_
_crap! I need to distance myself. Especially with those three clowns already watching me like hawks, I feel like their first invite was a warning._
His mind exploded in series of thoughts, each one more paranoid and absurd than the last. If Caelia were to hear, would she have killed him there and then to vent her anger?
"As you know we are leading a team together. I might need your help later on." A few seconds passed in mental chaos before Caelia's voice pulled him back.
Nyxir blinked.
_We? When did it become 'we'? I'm just assisting okay?_
"No problem," he replied with a stiff nod, stealing a fifth cursory glance at her face.
_It must have been exciting to look at her all the time, it's like I'm bewitched. Or is it part of her power?_
_And what does she even need my help with- communication?_
_She doesn't sound like someone who needs help communicating to people, maybe she just don't want to_
_kind of like me, I will get Ivarin to do the talking._
"I will take my leave now," Caelia said, turning without waiting for a response.
He watched her walk out of the hall in silence. It was then it dawned on him that he had been pausing mid conversation to release his thoughts.
_Must have been awkward for her.._
_Anyways, I can't be seen around her too often, she is a public figure and it will put me in spotlight._
_ still I don't think she came to me because she needed my help, it doesn't explain her behavior back at the celestial lake…._
Nyxir trotted out of the hall, hands tucked in his pockets and head full of thoughts. The most troubling one was his encounter while sensing his divinity and it is also the one he was trying so hard not to delve in, because this is a diviner's world, anyone can suddenly show up in your thoughts without you knowing.
He walked down few more blocks he hasn't been to and memorized the routes and several of the other places he hasn't been to, including the dungeon.
After his casual walk around, he felt slightly better and decided to find Ivarin and fill him in on the recent development, he could not worry alone since Ivarin was the one who brought him into such trouble. The only problem is that he doesn't know Ivarin's dorm and the way he left the hall earlier he doesn't seem like someone who would come out of his room sooner.
He passed by the field he saw Ivarin yesterday and as expected, he wasn't there, he decided to trace him to his dorm and ask around since he was easy to differentiate.
_ Who wouldn't know a white haired dude who talks a lot_
He lampooned inwardly and walked towards the path Ivarin has taken the previous night. He has barely taken a few steps when he saw Ivarin with the two other boys on his team Larry and Jack walking towards him, laughing as Ivarin tells them what seems like a joke. Well, Nyxir has a premonition it was a talk about someone.
"Hi Ivarin, how unexpected of you pending your previous sober mood, was that a show?" Nyxir called out.
"of course it wasn't a joke," Ivarin moved closer upon sighting Nyxir while Jack and Larry seems to fumble their way towards another path as if avoiding Nyxir.
"What's that all about?" Nyxir pointed to the boys who had gone farther from both of them.
"Oh, they heard about your meeting with the notorious duo and decided it is best to keep their distance to avoid trouble. Timid aren't they?" Ivarin chuckled lightly.
"They heard or you told them?" Nyxir eyed him suspiciously.
"Well it is technically the same; they heard because I told them. Am I right?" Ivarin shrugged.
"None of that matter for now," Nyxir waved casually, if people were avoiding him then he would not need to waste his effort on avoiding them either. It matched with his goal.
"What was the deal with you previously?" Nyxir folded his hand and moved to the side of the road and Ivarin followed.
"That was hmmm…. I discovered something about my divinity, I needed time to process it, that was what happened." Ivarin replied.
"Ohh okay, hope you've gotten an answer?" Nyxir pressed, he would have loved to help Ivarin master his aspect faster but that would raise doubts about him and he doesn't want to be scrutinized by anyone.
"yes I have, what trouble have you caused this time for you to come looking for me?" Ivarin raised his right brow.
"Well it is like this…." Nyxir ignored his sarcasm and explained his ordeal with Caelia while keeping his conjectures to himself. He wanted to hear his opinion if he could find any lead from there.
"You really feel disoriented when you look at her?" Ivarin widened his eyes in disbelieve.
"you will be the spokesperson." Nyxir interrupted.
"Okay sure I will be the spokesperson then. Is that all you came here for?"
"probably not, let's take a walk."