Races: Online (VR Smartphone App)

Chapter 158: The Flame and The Sojourner

He was a coward. If there was anything that Timothy knew about himselfhis self preservation always took over when things got too dangerous and out of his control. He didn't like thinking about it. He hated acknowledging that the reason why his mother might have died was because he had been too much of a coward, but spending too much time with his thoughts at the hallway to the secret library had made him confront it. 

Timothy had done it while he was in that feverish daze.

It was the effects of those runes and symbols on the walls that made him much more contemplative. It had made his blood boil when he reminded himself of the narrow-minded thinking of the Keeper of the Secret Library, and yet when Han had saved him from danger? 

He didn't look back once to check, he kept running.

Timothy didn't even do well with him partnering up with Ellynn. Him stealing the ginger-haired guy's cloak and throwing it back into the entrance of the library? It was the only action he did to help Ellynn throughout their entire time together. 

It didn't even take a lot of effort, he was a tad annoyed at the so-called Enchanter who prized the item more than them leaving Ellynn but if he had to choose between her and his safety. He would choose his without hesitation. 

He was a hypocrite.

And so he was shell-shocked when he saw the duo escape through the library's entrance. It was also there and then that he received a jab from the ginger-haired guy, Theodore. Timothy hadn't actually believed that Han would arrive back with herand it just made him feel awful. The sensation was akin to getting his hands cut by a knife a multitude times over.

A small lurch formed in his throat as he turned away from them.

"That place is closed off for good." Han's words were clear to everyone in the room.

Out of all the people to react, it was no doubt the Illusory Mage that was shocked. "What?!" The Mage was too refreshingly concerned of one thing alone, and that made him easy enough to read for Timothy.

It didn't make them like the Mage though.

"It shouldn't matter if that place has been shut off for goodit was too dangerous to be left out in the open for the Students." Han's voice was the voice of reason.

"W-What about my Enchanter's toolstick, you had it!" Theodore asked next.

Han probably shrugged as he said, "That's gone too, buddy."

But Timothy didn't pay attention to them. He bent to pick up the old sack where he placed the books he had chosen earlier, he glanced at the other people all preoccupied. The young man pulled out the tome that he had managed to snatch. He had kept it tucked in his pants' waistband.

He took it before running out of the Spectre's library.

It wasn't what the Illusory Mage wanted either so he dug it in his sack before anybody else could notice it. Timothy wasn't sure if Ellynn had seen him do it, her eyes were too sharp. But if she wasn't going to ask him about itthen he considered that it was a secret between them.

The Half Elf probably had no interest in giving what Timothy had barely gotten to the Illusory Mage.

Timothy clutched the sack to his chest and sighed inwardly. He would probably share it with Han? He was unsure about it and he couldn't help but want to keep it for himself. He was the one who had gotten it, he had risked his life for it and nearly died. But it was also Han and the others who helped him escape.

He shook his head.

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm heading back to my dorm."

"Wait, a second there! We had an agreement!" The Illusory Mage called out to him.

Timothy felt one of his eyes twitch, he threw a look at them. "I don't remember you keeping your word, as the both of us can seeHan managed to get himself involved here. The deal is off." He watched the Mage's jaw slacken a bit and he also caught the confused look on Han's face.

He sighed and rubbed his face. "Well, if you're not heading back to the dormitory yetdon't complain, idiot." Without waiting for anything from them, Timothy began to move to the exit of the library on his own. It was much better to not have the Illusory Mage follow after them, and it was in order to keep the tome a secret from them.

As for Ellynn, well, that Half Elf probably knew who how to take care of herself.

When he reached the exit, Timothy was met with complete darkness that was similar to the underground hallway that he encountered earlier. "Are they saving mana?" He couldn't believe it, but if they had some sort of curfew, then it would have made sense that all lights were turned off?

Well it didn't matter to him, except that it bothered him right now.

But he had a quick solution for darkness.

And it was something that didn't need mana.

[ Firestarter ]

The young man watched a flame flicker to life in his palm, a ball of flame condense and warm his hand. The color was a mixture of predominantly red mixed in with some orange. It had started out with nothing but a few sparks barely enough to compete with a flint stone but now he could muster it enough that he could have cooked something if he wanted to.

Although it was still a far cry from a fireball.

"Got it at level one and it's still pretty useful until today." Timothy shook his head and looked back down the abyss of stairs that he had climbed up from. If he took one misstephe probably would have broken his neck and died there. He was relieved that it didn't take any mana to open up the door from the inside, but it also didn't automatically close.

It didn't take too long for him to hear loud steps, and he didn't even need to look back to know who it was. "Wait up, Tim! You can't leave your friend behind." Han called out and he sounded exhausted.

Grumbling underneath his breathTimothy slowed down his pace by a margin. "You should hurry up if you actually want to get some rest." If he didn't get this guy to his bedroom, well, the idiot would probably complain tomorrow. Or was it in a few hours? Timothy had no definite measurement of time, and he was already dreading how much hours of rest he'd actually get.

"Mhmm...sleepy time."

Timothy ignored the man and continued down the corridors. He could only hear the sound of their footsteps and it unnerved him slightly. He glanced every now and then at the other paths and was sure that someone had their eyes on them. Which was a little irritating but for a good reason, the man struck the heel of his foot on the solid floor, and he couldn't help but wonder if the thing they've encountered underneath the Academy would truly let them be.

Especially when he took the tome.

The young man gulped for a moment.

He shook his head and walked faster. There was no time to be afraid of what was in the hallways either when that thing could probably drag them back downstairs if it wanted to. He had no idea why that thing was still theredid the teachers not know of it? Then how did that 'Illusory Mage' know of it either?

There were a lot of questions on his mind, but he would have to ask them on another day.

.. .

Dewrowan Tower

Most of the students, especially those of the lower-levels, were already asleep or at least sticking in their rooms. Discipline was a hallmark in the Kraelonia Academy and most did not wish to be expelled. It was either too expensive to even think of getting kicked out or the taint it would leave on one's reputation if they were cast out was an efficient hurtle for nonsense shenanigans. 

Now it wasn't too strange that there might be some studious young Mage nestled up on their bed and reading a book. That was actually a good thing if it weren't for the fact that they'd oversleep and miss their lessons earlieralthough if one were to ask them, they were too good to fail. Nor was it wasn't notable that a certain Axe Warrior was doing a rendezvous with a certain someone for the night.

They were all background and minutiae events.

Now as for Iolashe was still awake. And she wasn't even a Student either so all those rules didn't apply to her. But she was troubled. "I may have underestimated the time it would take for them to finish their end of the bargain."

She was incidentally waiting for a certain man to come back to his room.

And it wasn't because she was worried about them specificallyit was because if the man didn't return alive, then it would pose trouble to her stay here in the Academy. The young woman yawned and rubbed the corner of her eye. If she was to glance at the corner of the room, a mana lamp was glowing dimly. "This place is too under furnished." If she looked behind her, the Lamia's Scales Cloak would shimmer and blind her eyes.

She didn't think too much about it.

Instead, the young woman was bothered about something else, she pulled the blankets closer to her chest and sighed. "I wonder how much trouble I would have gotten those two I mean, Sir Gesth would no doubt be reprimanded severely by my father. Although I forgot the name of the other guymaybe I shouldn't feel too guilty. At least Sir Gesth can find employment elsewhere..."

The door soon swung open and she nearly bolted up in fright.

People like her didn't scream aloudthat was foolish and it gave away one's position. Although she may have been a tad too relaxed that she didn't consider sleeping with the cloak on, the young woman would have to remedy it right now as she gave the man a stink eye.

"What took you so long?"