Chapter 17 - Friend
I sat quietly in the study room while Mother scribbled something on the wooden board with a piece of chalk. Her handwriting was always neat, elegant, more like a scholar's than a farmer's wife.
But my mind wasn't on the lesson.
It drifted back to yesterday. To the girl on the hill; long black hair, white dress, cold tone voice and then that spell... "Geo Push" ... That was the spell she said..
I glanced sideways at Lyra, who was slumped over her desk, drooling all over her notes. I poked her nose, but she showed no reaction. I even shook her shoulder, and still nothing. So, I did what any good little brother would do.
I pointed my finger at her face and cast a tiny Water Spell. Hehe, how naughty.
A splash of cold water sprayed across her cheek, even some went into her nose.
"Ack—!" she sputtered awake, sneezing and wiping her face.
Her eyes locked on me, sharp and accusing. "Kyro," she hissed, voice low and dangerous. "What. Did. You. Do?"
I raised both hands in surrender. "Hey, I tried to wake you up nicely. You're the one who sleeps like a rock."
Mother turned from the board just long enough to shoot us a glare that could pierce armor. We straightened up immediately, pretending to focus as she resumed writing.
Lyra sighed and wiped her face with her sleeve. "Ugh. What do you want?"
"Have you seen a girl with black hair and a white dress around the village?" I asked, keeping my voice low.
She gave me a weird look. "What? No. Every kid in Ytval's got brown, red, or blonde hair. Black's not exactly common here." She narrowed her eyes. "Why are you asking?"
"Uh, no reason." I said quickly, waving it off.
She kept staring suspiciously, but thankfully didn't press further.
After our lessons ended, I grabbed my book and made my way back to the hill, curious if I could meet her again and hopefully know more about the spell she did. The wind was softer today. The wheat fields danced below, and the sky stretched wide and endless above.
I sat down at her usual spot, hoping she'd show.
And, just like before, she did.
She approached silently and sat beside me, her book tucked under one arm. No greeting. No glance. Just quiet. She wore another dress, still white. She also wore gloves each hand. They're thin, like a princess glove you see in cartoons.
I waited a moment before speaking.
"H-hey," I said awkwardly. "I just wanted to say... I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't mean to startle you or anything."
She didn't respond at first. Then, slowly, she turned toward me.
"I'm sorry for hurting you," she said in a calm, even tone. "Your presence felt... ugly. But I can tell now you didn't mean any harm."
I flinched. Ugly? What the hell?
"Um... What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, trying not to sound too offended as my eye twitched.
"I don't mean it in a bad way," she said softly. "I'm blind, actually."
The frustration melted away instantly. "Oh..."
She continued, her voice quieter. "I use my mana to see the world. It's not really 'seeing' like you do, but more like sensing shapes and energies. Yesterday, I was focusing on my book, and suddenly you appeared behind me. Your mana signature was unfamiliar and... odd, that's what I meant ugly. It overwhelmed my senses, and I panicked."
Now I felt really bad.
"I'm sorry," I said again, this time more earnestly.
She nodded. "It's alright. I guess I'm sorry too. For... breaking your chest."
There was a brief silence, but at least it wasn't uncomfortable.
I glanced at her. "Hey, I didn't catch your name. What's your name?"
She hesitated as her gloved hands clenched for a second, then she answered.
"Onnie. Onnie Freyharp."
"I'm Kyro. Kyro Samsworth," I said proudly, my voice going a bit higher than intended.
"Huh." She tilted her head slightly. "You sound... genuinely happy."
"Well," I scratched the back of my head, "you're the only kid around here who look like my age.. I'm seven, by the way."
Her lips formed a small smile. "I'm six."
"Really? Cool, cool. Anyways, are you new here? I've never seen you before."
She looked forward again. "I guess you could say that."
"Huh. So, where do you live?"
She pointed toward the woods.
My eyes widened. "Wait, you live in the woods?"
She nodded slowly.
"That's... different. Well, see that big wooden house down there?" I pointed instinctively. "That's mine."
Then it hit me.
Oh no—she's blind, you idiot!
"S-sorry!" I waved my hands in a panic. "I just remembered again that you can't see."
But she smiled again. "It's okay. I could sense where you were pointing."
"Oh, really?" I tilted my head. "So... how exactly do you 'see'? You said it's mana-based, right?"
"Yeah," she said. "Without mana, everything is just black. But when I use it to sense, I can feel the outlines of things. Each thing has a different color signature. The grass here feels green. That tree over there feels brown. And I could feel see the wheat fields if I focus enough..." she pointed, "they all shimmer with yellow."
Then she held up her book. "This is just filled with paintings my older sister made for me. I use them to imagine stories."
"Whoa!" I gasped. "That's so clever! No wonder you bring it every day."
Her cheeks turned slightly pink. "T-thanks."
"So... did you figure out how to use mana like that on your own?"
She looked unsure. "It's hard to explain. It's not like you'd really get it anyway. I mean, it's not like you can use magic."
I smirked. "Oh, but I can. Watch this."
I raised my hand and channeled mana to my fingertips. A ball of water formed and shimmered in the air before I launched it. It flew through the sky, thinning as it went, before sprinkling down like soft rain.
Her mouth fell open. "You can use magic?"
"Yeah. What about it?" I said, trying to sound casual.
"And you didn't even chant a spell!"
I shrugged. "My parents say I'm just gifted."
"Are you blessed by a god?"
I shook my head. "Nah. My dad says I'm not one of those kids. I'm just... me."
She stared at me in awe.
"Look," I said, my voice softening, "I know it might look impressive, but... I don't have anyone else here who uses magic. I worked so hard to even come this far, and throughout that journey, it was kinda lonely. But then I met you. I was surprised you could use it too." I flopped onto the grass with a sigh, staring at the sky. "I guess I don't feel so alone anymore."
A moment passed.
She giggled lightly. "I know a thing or two. Maybe... I could teach you."
I sat up instantly. "Really?! You'd do that? B-but we just met, you trust me already?"
"Yes.. But under one condition."
"Okay then," I nodded, serious. "Name it!"
"No one must know I'm here. Okay?"
That's it? I thought. Although, I did wonder why, but I never pressed for answers.
"Deal!" I grinned. "Not a soul. You have my word." I raised a hand in a mock oath. "I will take this to the grave."
She laughed, covering her mouth with her gloved hand. "You're funny."
And for the first time since meeting her, I saw it. Not the cold, quiet girl on the hil, but a friend. We ended up talking til the early evening as we parted ways right after.
Man, making friends wasn't that hard. What was I afraid of?
***
As the sky deepened into hues of burnt orange and violet, I finally reached the gate of our house.
The moment I stepped through, the front door swung open with a bang. My mother stood in the doorway, her face taut with worry, as if she had been just about to run out and search for me.
"Kyro still hasn't come ho—" She stopped mid-sentence the moment her eyes landed on me.
"Oh," she said, her voice softening in surprise.
I gave a weak wave. "Uh, hi Mom. I guess... you were worried?"
Her expression sharpened in an instant. "Where were you, young man?! I thought you were taken by a bandit again!"
I flinched. Her voice was sharper than I'd ever heard. My shoulders tensed on instinct, and I bowed my head like a scolded puppy.
"I-I'm sorry, Mom! I just—"
"Give me one good reason not to spank you right now." Her arms crossed, eyes narrowing. "Didn't I tell you to be home before evening? Every single day?"
This... was the first time Mom ever scolded me this hard. Her voice wasn't just loud, but it was serious. It stung more than I thought it would. From behind her, I caught a glimpse of Lyra peeking out from the kitchen. She had that look on her face, smug and entertained. Her eyes practically screamed: Finally, it's your turn.
And that night, I was spanked.
***
From that day forward, I found myself returning to the hill almost every afternoon.
I liked being around her.
Onnie was always there, sitting in that same spot beneath the lone sycamore tree that overlooked the golden wheat fields. Her white dress shimmered softly in the sun, and her long black hair danced with the breeze. Even without seeing, she always turned her head the moment I arrived.
"You're late," she'd say without looking. Or, "I could hear your clumsy footsteps from halfway down the slope."
She'd laugh, and that laugh was starting to feel like something I looked forward to every day. We didn't just talk anymore. Sometimes she'd bring out a worn chessboard from her satchel, pieces mismatched and carved from different woods, and we'd set it up between us on the grass. She never needed to see the board to play. She remembered every move and every piece's position like she could feel the whole match in her head.
"I'm telling you, your bishop is exposed," I warned her once, squinting at the board.
"And I'm telling you," she replied with a sly smile, "you just walked into a trap. Knight to E4."
I blinked. "Wait... That's check?"
"Checkmate," she said sweetly.
I groaned, falling backward into the grass. "Man, I lost! Three to five." She won five times.
Even when we weren't playing games, we found ways to fill the time.
One day she brought a small stack of papers; her homework from whatever school or tutor she was part of, and I helped her read through some dense historical passages. I'd read the questions out loud, and she'd answer while absentmindedly braiding strands of grass between her fingers.
She was smart, scary smart! And a curious one too.
"Kyro," she asked once, mid-lesson, "why do you think the Empire fell during the Bronze Insurrection?"
"Uh..." I scratched my head. "I... don't know. Maybe... too many taxes?"
She giggled. "That's what my tutor said too."
I did not press for further answers about where she came from; it didn't feel like the time for that.
Honestly, I did not want to press for further answers that she would find uncomfortable. I could tell she disliked talking about where she actually came from, and it was obvious she was really, really not from around here.
We even played simple card games, ones where she didn't need sight to win. She claimed to "sense the mana residue" left behind on each card, but I suspected she was bluffing just to psych me out. It worked and she kept winning.
More than the games, it was the quiet in-between moments that made those afternoons special.
Like the time I caught her humming a soft melody, one hand pressed to the grass as if she were listening to the earth itself. Or when we just lay side by side, staring (well, I was staring) at clouds floating by.
Sometimes, she'd reach toward the horizon, her gloved hand hovering in the air as she pointed out the shapes of things she couldn't see. Like houses, windmills, the faint silhouettes of mountains in the distance.
"I can't see it like you do," she once whispered. "But I can feel it. Everything has a rhythm, a pulse. That tree over there? It's full of squirrels. If I focus, I can hear their heartbeats. They're tiny and fast."
I blinked, stunned. "So... your sensing ability, does it have a range?"
"Of course. Normally, it's about five to six feet around me. Just enough for walking, staying aware. Reading is different, I had to actually focus on the book's contents, although, that's how you were able to sneak behind me last time. But if I concentrate hard enough, I can stretch it hundreds of meters.. At least for a brief before passing out." She paused, then added with a breathy laugh, "The only limit is how much mana I have to spend, which I don't have that much."
"How did you learn to do that?" I asked, a genuine question. If I could somehow replicate her sensing ability, then maybe I could use it to move in the dark. It was just a thought, though.
"I..." She hesitated, then turned her head toward me. "I didn't learn it. I just simply knew how. It's a natural thing. I guess it's like seeing; you can't really turn it off if your eyes are open."
"Oh," I sighed, "Bummer, I was hoping I could replicate it." I told her my thoughts.
She giggled, a clear, ringing sound. "Don't look so down. If everyone could copy it, then sneaking up on me wouldn't be nearly as much of a challenge for you, would it?"
"Heh, right." I shook my head, smiling.
And so the cycle continued, the late morning starts by us meeting at the same hill within the village, then it would end at late afternoon.
Then, one fateful afternoon, "What?!" my voice raised, "You'll teach me healing magic?!"
We were in a middle of a chess match.
She nodded. "Sure, I mean, I did say I could teach you a thing or two."
"Onnie!" I stood, excited, "You have no idea how much this means to me! I am so excited!"
She giggled, "Okay, okay. Hold your horses, now, you still haven't beaten me today."
"Oh, right." I laughed and sat back down. I lost to that match, but that did not bother me. We ended the day with a wave as we parted ways as always. I looked forward to the direction of my house and walked with joy.
What a productive day. I thought while smiling. Tomorrow will be the day she'll teach me how to use Healing magic. Wish me luck, I guess.
The feeling was... incredible. In my previous life, I was always the quiet kid. The one who never get picked, never invited, always overlooked. Most people didn't even know I existed.
But now? Now I had someone.
As I walked back toward the village, I turned one last time to look at Onnie's silhouette heading back toward the woods.
I wonder what her house looks like.
***
The sun dipped behind the trees, casting long shadows across the clearing. A hush settled over the woods, the kind that felt almost sacred. Onnie and I sat beneath the old tree on the hill where we usually practiced, her hands resting calmly in her lap.
"Before we start," she said, "you should know magic is complicated. There's still so much we don't understand about it."
I nodded. "I think I understand that part just fine."
She nodded. "If that's the case..." Taking a slow breath, she rolled up her sleeve, then pulled a needle from her pocket without hesitation and pricked the side of her finger.
I flinched. "Wait, what are you doing?"
A small bead of blood appeared on her skin, and she didn't even flinch.
She's not even afraid of hurting herself... Honestly, I've got a fear of needles, so it's impressive how she could just do that.
She turned to me, completely calm, as if what she'd done was no big deal.
"I want you to try healing magic," she said softly. "It's simple on the surface, but different from anything else we've practiced."
I blinked. "Because it's harder?"
She shook her head. "Because it's personal. You can't brute-force it like fire or geo."
"Uh, what do you mean?" I asked, tilting my head.
She held her hand out, hovering it just above the wound.
"There are three things you need to remember," she said. "First, healing magic must be spoken. No exceptions. Wordless Casting doesn't work, even for someone like you."
"Okay," I nodded. "got it."
"Second, you must speak the name of the God of Nature. Lunareth. Every healing spell calls on her divine flow. Without her name, the spell won't form."
"Lunareth," I echoed under my breath.
"And third," her voice softened, "your words have to carry care. Not just any chant will work, say something that soothes, something like 'heal the wound within' or 'bless this soul with light.' What matters is that it's spoken with sincerity. Healing responds to intention. It doesn't care how strong you are, it only listens when your heart is in the words."
She closed her eyes for a moment, then began to chant. It was low and reverent, like a prayer offered to the forest itself:
"By the name of Lunareth, grant me the touch that mends. Let wounds turn to memory, and pain to peace. Heal."
A soft green light bloomed in her palm. It was gentle and warm, pulsing faintly with life. I watched, entranced, as the wound closed slowly, the skin smoothing until not even a scar remained.
I blinked. "Wait... that's not the chant you used last time."
She smiled. "It doesn't have to be the same. As long as you follow the principles I mentioned, the words can change. That's what makes healing magic special. It's not about memorizing the right phrase, but it's about speaking from the heart."
Without hesitation, she pricked her finger again. Another tiny drop of blood welled up. She extended her hand toward me.
"Your turn."
I hesitated, then leaned forward, holding my palm above her wound.
"Focus," she whispered.
I closed my eyes. The mana stirred inside me, warm and steady. I pictured the cut. Then I spoke, letting the words come from memory, no, from intention.
"By Lunareth's grace, I offer peace. Let suffering fade, and let the body feel relief."
I paused, then added, "Heal."
The air around my hand shimmered. A soft glow flickered to life. It was faint, but unmistakably green.
Onnie smiled. "You did it."
"I—I did it!" My eyes lit up, and I jumped to my feet, grinning wide. "I did it!"
She laughed, covering her mouth. "You looked like a squirrel just now."
"I healed you! That's way cooler than being a squirrel!"
She just shook her head, smiling. "Also, there's another principle of healing magic I didn't mention." She turned to me. "The longer the chant, the stronger the healing, but the more mana it drains from you. So it's best to use longer chants for heavy injuries."
"Okay..." I hummed.
My thoughts wandered back to when Lyra broke my arm. That had been one of the most ridiculous times with her. She'd been a devil back then, and honestly, she still was, just a bit less.
"I mean, define heavy injuries. Is a broken arm, bent in an unnatural way, considered a heavy injury?"
Onnie looked puzzled. "I guess? Why do you ask?"
"Well, something happened years ago. My arm was broken in a fall, and my father brought a mage who healed it. What's strange is that he did speak a spell. I heard him say something, but it was too quiet, and I couldn't make out the words. But somehow," I looked at my right arm, "he healed it. And through that, I was able to learn magic. I guess without him healing me, I wouldn't have learned any magic at all."
Onnie sighed. "Honestly, there's a lot I don't know either, Kyro. Maybe he's just an experienced healer who knows a different branch of healing. Who knows?"
"I guess..."
Later that afternoon, she taught me a different spell; one I'd come to know well: Geo Push. The same spell that had once knocked the air right out of my lungs the third time we met.
"A spell that pulls the energy from the ground and erupts it upward," she said with a grin. "Like the earth throwing a punch."
I rubbed my chest at the memory. "Yeah... it hurt."
She laughed, then lifted her hand and recited:
"Oh God of Nature, awaken the bones of the land and bend them to my will."
I stretched out my hand, mimicking her stance.
"Geo Push!"
The earth jolted, a stone pillar bursting from the ground in front of me.
Onnie sighed then smiled. "There it is!"
I smirked, "I'll give it a shot!" I followed her earlier movement and spoke, "Oh God of Nature, awaken the bones of the land and bend them to my will."
"Geo Push!"
Stone pillar erupted from the ground.
"You did it!" Onnie cheered as she clapped.
I grinned. I had finally learned it.
And once I'd learned it, I could feel it. That meant only one thing. I raised my hand again, this time without a word as mana stirred on instinct. Another stone pillar surged upward with a thud.
I'd done it. I could cast Geo Push with Wordless Casting now.
It was... Unbelievably easy.. Why? I can't help but wonder that very same question. In a weird way... it was feeding on my ego. And the worst part? It felt good.
And with healing magic, even if I couldn't perform it silently, I still managed to pull it off. That meant something. I was growing bit by bit. She was helping me become something more than I ever thought I could be.
We spent the rest of the afternoon laughing, joking, and simply enjoying each other's company. After a while, we said our goodbyes.
***
I walked home with a grin stretching across my face. I kicked a pebble down the dirt path, feeling lighter than usual. Up ahead, I saw Lyra waving goodbye to Saul. Looked like their sword training had just wrapped up.
As I passed Saul, I gave him a nod. He returned it with his usual quiet acknowledgment. Then I turned toward the gate, only to see Lyra standing there, one brow raised and her wooden sword resting lazily on her shoulder.
"It's weird seeing you out so much these days," she said.
I shrugged. "Guess I'm just trying to switch things up a bit."
"Oh yeah? Like what? Did you learn a new spell or something?" Her lips curled into a sly smile.
"You could say that," I replied with a proud nod. "I learned quite a lot today."
She grinned. "Yeah? How about a little sparring match then?"
We paused, sizing each other up.
"Since I can't use magic, I've been focusing more on my sword work," she added, probably remembering the time I tried teaching her spells. No matter how many times we tried, magic never came to her.
I hummed, tilting my head. "You sure about this?"
"Yup. My wooden sword against your magic, mana boy."
I smirked. "Fine. Let's do it. Don't come crying to me if you get hurt."
We made our way to the backyard, where there was enough open space to move around freely. We stood at opposite ends like a standoff scene from one of those old wild west movies. Except instead of guns, she had a sword, and I had nothing but the spell forming in my mind.
She bent down, picked up a rock from the ground, and tossed it playfully in the air. "I'll throw this rock. When it hits the ground, we begin."
I clenched my fists, mana stirring beneath my skin. "Bet," I shouted.
She laughed, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Mwehehe!"
The rock went up.
Our eyes followed it as it climbed, hung for a moment, then began to fall. The moment it struck the earth, we exploded into motion. Lyra dissapeared on sight as I flinched. She was moving faster than I anticipated. I swiped my arms as wind erupted. Gale! I thought.
Fwoom!
She rolled back, taking the blow. I smirked as I reached my hands out.
Fireball.
Four fire balls formed behind me as I launched them to Lyra. She dashed forward as she slashed each one of my fireballs with ease.
When she was in range, I used Power Roots, a spell where roots came from the grounds as they tried to grab her, but her wooden sword slashed them like they were paper. I flinched, then I threw more fireball at here, dodging and weaving every projectile. She was inching and inching closer to me. I slightly panicked, I calmed myself.
Hey, you still have plenty of spells to use.. Calm down.
I dashed forward, intending to meet her slash. I met her eyes directly, and they were deadly. She swung her blade as I ducked underneath, then I used Geo Push.
Not a chance! Geo Push! I thrust my hand downward, and a stone pillar erupted from the ground beside my foot, slamming straight into Lyra's chest.
"Oof—!" She flew back, rolling through the dirt as her aura flared to catch her fall. Dust burst up in her wake. When she finally stopped, she looked up at me.
I grinned smugly. "Heh."
But her face said otherwise.
She slowly stood, shoulders trembling, and exhaled as steam puffing from her nose like some kind of raging bull. She reached for her sword and took a stance, pointing the wooden blade directly at me, hilt pulled beside her cheek like horns.
She looks like an ox. A really pissed off ox. My grin vanished. Oh crap… I really pissed her off.
I instinctively gulped. It's fine. I've got distance. As long as I keep throwing spells, she won't get close. I've got this!
Four fireballs sparked to life behind me, floating in the air.
I pointed. "Ready to give up yet?"
"You wish!" she roared, and then she was gone.
She's faster than before!
Panic surged. Fireball! Fireball now!
The fireballs shot toward her like meteors, but she weaved through them with impossible ease, still gaining on me. I blasted the ground behind me with wind magic to boost away. It bought me a second, maybe two, but she only got faster.
Spikes of wood shot up from my palms. She dodged.
I sent out Solid rocks. She leapt over them.
Another barrage of fireballs. She slid between them like she knew where they'd be.
I stumbled back Thud! My back hit something. I turned quickly. The wooden fence. I'd reached the edge of the yard, wheat fields just beyond. I had nowhere left to run. The moment I spun around, Lyra was already there. Sword raised. Her eyes burning with wild triumph.
"Geo Push!" Desperate, I slammed my foot down. The ground responded instantly as a pillar forming right beside me. But her wooden blade, the pointy end, was already moving forward to my ribs.
"...!" Everything slowed.
My eyes were locked onto my Geo Push, inching closer and closer to her. When I thought I'd get her, her sword struck first.
"Aughh!" I cried as the blunt tip slammed into my chest.
At the same moment, my Geo Push almost hit, narrowly missing her.
She stood tall while I flew back. The fence shattered behind me as I crashed through it, landing in the wheat field with a painful thud. Dirt filled my mouth. My lungs burned. My ribs screamed. Silence came after, and suddenly, her voice came.
"I won?" Lyra blinked, and then her face lit up.
"I won!" she shouted. "HAH! I WON!" She threw her head back in laughter, resting her sword across her shoulder like a champion.
"Your magic doesn't mean squat!" she boasted, strutting through the broken fence and into the wheat field like a conqueror. "Take that! You—"
She stopped and her eyes fell on me. I was still lying there, clutching my ribs. My eyes welled up with tears. My face twisted in pain.
"WAAAHHHH!" I wailed like a toddler, sobbing. "It hurts! Waaaahh!"
My legs kicked uselessly. My shirt was soaked near the waist.
…I'd peed myself.
It wasn't just my ribs she broke that day.. It was my ego.
Lyra froze. "Wait. Kyro—? Are you... are you crying?"
F-freakin' hell! This pain's no joke! How the hell did she beat me!? I had range, I had spells, I—!
Even though I thought I had the upper hand, that I'd win easily because I could use magic—
I lost. Horribly. Fuuuuckk...
—I was sorely mistaken. And from that day forward... I never got cocky with my magic ever again.
[End]