novelzi Ch 1.54: Aftermath
Ch 1.54: Aftermath
Ch 1.54: Aftermath
“What do you mean the Stormshine’s?” Elaina said, abandoning any attempt to subtly push the conversation. She need to know what Myriala was talking about, and now. But it was too late. Myriala’s face of disgust was frozen, unmoving as the last bit of life had slipped from her. “Damnit...”
Elaina ran over to Tira. She was laying on the ground, wincing in pain as she clutched her side. “Fuck, those things are sharp, Elaina.”
“Yeah,” Elaina said, pulling Tira’s hands away and looking at the wound beneath. Thanks the gods. It was long, but not deep, bleeding, but not profusely. “We should probably tie this off just to be safe. Can you change back to your uniform?”
“Can I... Gods, I think I can.” Tira closed her eyes, and the crystal dust appeared once more, circling around her and replacing her bodysuit with her uniform. It was still soaked of course, but someone completely unmarred besides. “Elaina, what the fuck is going on?”
“It’s a long story... I’ll explain on the way back. Can I use part of your jacket to try and staunch the blood?”
“Yeah, of course. Whole thing’s gonna be ruined after this anyway. But are you okay?”
“Uh-huh. It hurts, but I’ll live; I can move.”
Elaina helped Tira get her jacket off and them ripped off one of the sleeves, tying it around Tira’s waist where the blood was seeping into her white shirt.
She also finally remembered she was naked.
Blushing, Elaina willed her own uniform back, or what was left of it at least. It was interesting, that the crystal dust spun around both her and the discarded dress on the ground before replacing her shirt back onto her body.
“So... you too, huh?” Tira asked.
Elaina nodded. “Yeah, me too.”
“How long?”
“Uhm, the night we first met. Like, less than an hour before you caught me in the halls.”
“Huh.”
“Yeah... Uhm, can I wear your jacket again? I, uh, had another wardrobe mishap.”
Tira chuckled a little, stifling it with her hand and then wincing before grabbing her side. “Sorry, not really the time to be laughing at that sort of thing, I know. Go ahead.”
Elaina pulled the jacket over her body, grateful for at least a little bit more coverage, even if she knew she’d appear ridiculous having just torn of one of the sleeves. “How do I look?”
Tira chuckled once more, clutching her side again. “Silly. Not quite as sexy as last night.”
“Elaina,” the System said.
“Gods,” Tira replied, staring at the orb on the ground. “You know that thing scared the shit out of me the first time it talked?”
“Go ahead, System,” Elaina said. Catching Tira up would be important, but the System usually only interrupted if it was something important.
Elaina blushed, shaking her head. The storm was starting to clear now, so her face was probably visible. “No, but she made a comment about it.”
“Must’ve been in a good mood. She’s known for being quite a hardass at times.”
“Like you, ‘Iron Whip Tira?’”
Tira’s head whipped up, looking genuinely offended. “Who the fuck is calling me that? Wait, is it that Stouth girl? I swear she’s—”
“Elaina!” a voice called from up ahead, just outside the treeline, back on the school grounds proper. Carline?
“I’m here!” Elaina shouted back. She wanted to run up, but she couldn’t do that with Tira in her arms, not wounded as she was.
Carline came running into the trees herself though, face panicked and eyes watering. “Elaina! Thank the stars; I was so worried.”
“I’m fine, really, I’m—”
“No you’re not,” Carline said, face suddenly determined. “And neither is she. Put her down.”
Right, she can sense these things. Elaina obeyed, placing Tira on the ground as Carline placed her hands on Tira’s side.
“Oh gods,” Tira said, inhaling deeply. “That’s so much better already.”
“I’m just stopping the pain while I fix it, but still don’t move around too much. You’ve lost a lot of blood.”
It was strange, seeing the normally meek girl so confident and commanding. Maybe it was the pain that Elaina’s skill was transforming into other feelings doing the thinking for her, but Elaina couldn’t help but think she’d like to see that side of Carline more often.
Carline turned up towards Elaina, frown on her face and tears in her eyes as her hands remained on Tira. “And you! Don’t do that to me again! Don’t shut me out!”
Elaina recoiled, looking to the side. “I— I’m sorry, I just thought that—”
“I know what you thought! I just...” Carline shook her head. “I could’ve come with you, or you could have stayed. Gods, what if you’d run into Myriala?”
“We did. She’s dead.”
The words hung in the air as Carline furrowed her brow, looking back to Tira. “Does that mean... Is she?”
“Sure am,” Tira said, grin forming on her face. “Newest class bearer, Sadist Striker Tira Strask, at your service!”
Carline blinked as she shook her head once more. “Stars, we really are the pervert party, aren’t we?”
“It is the nature of party compatibility,” the System said.
“Okay,” Tira said, pointing to Elaina’s bag, “that thing still freaks me out every time it talks. Can someone explain to me what exactly it is?”
“Later,” Carline said, pursing her lips. “Elaina, there’s... there’s something important I need to tell you."