Celetia looked at Nava with grateful eyes, her voice soft:
Celetia:
Thank you... for speaking to me so openly. I never expected to find someone who understood.
Neva smiled that same faint smile again, then said quietly:
Neva:
No one understands everything alone. We need each other... sometimes.
He stepped a little closer to him and pointed toward the path leading to the dorms:
Neva:
Would you like me to show you a few things? I don't promise they'll be easy or magical, but I can explain more about Shedin.
Celetia (cheerful, catching her breath):
Really? I'd love to.
They walked together in comfortable silence, their steps in sync, the sky looming dusk above them.
Time passed slowly, as if the world had stopped for a moment. They both felt this meeting was more than just a coincidence.
Celetia:
Do you think... I could ever learn this technique? I want to understand more than just what the eye sees.
Nafa looked at her with eyes that reflected a deep calm and a hidden impatience:
Nafa:
This isn't an easy path. Shedin requires a different awareness. Not just power or magic... but a sense of existence itself, of the rhythm inherent in everything.
He paused for a moment, then continued:
Nafa:
Remember when I said I don't belong? Maybe it's not a refusal to belong, but a way of seeing things from a different angle... to be an observer, but with a present heart.
Celetia (sighing slowly):
Sometimes I feel lost here, between these walls, between laws that don't understand me.
Nafa:
And that's something many can't bear. But if you're ready, it's a start.
He turned to her, and his eyes looked into hers earnestly.
Nafa:
Learn to listen. Not just to the sounds or the energies we see, but to the frequency of life itself. Everything has a rhythm, and every rhythm has a story.
Celetia:
And how do I begin?
Neva smiled, then reached out and pulled a small piece of translucent blue stone from his pocket.
Neva:
This is a gift. A stone of frequency. Listen to it in silence, and learn to feel it, not just hear it.
She held it in her hand, and felt a slight warmth emanating from the stone, like a gentle pulse from the heart of the world.
Celetia (in surprise):
It's beautiful... I feel something vague, like... breathing.
Neva nodded.
Neva:
Everything around us breathes. Even things that seem inanimate.
They walked a little further in the silence, then Celetia said, her tone different this time, a mixture of caution and hope:
Celetia:
I want to ask you... how do you deal with loneliness? With this feeling that you're different, that you don't belong?
Neva looked up at the darkening sky, which was beginning to be adorned with stars, then said:
Neva:
Loneliness isn't always negative. Sometimes it's where we meet our true selves. The problem isn't loneliness, it's rejecting it.
Celetia:
But I'm afraid of being alone... of always being outside the group.
Neva smiled softly and said,
Neva:
Fear exists, but it doesn't decide who we are. We do.
He turned to her and continued,
Neva:
But don't worry, sometimes we find someone who shares this feeling, even if we don't talk, just by being present.
Celetia looked at him with admiration and gratitude, then said in a calm tone,
Celetia:
I'm glad you're here... because you accepted me.
Neva:
And that's what matters. Finding someone who accepts us for who we are, not for who they expect us to be.
As they approached the dorm, dusk faded, and the lights of the academy began to softly illuminate the space.
Celetia paused, then looked up at him and said with a shy smile,
Celetia:
Can I consider you a friend?
He looked at her deeply and steadily, then replied, "Yes. A friend."
They exchanged simple glances, but they were the beginning of something new—not just their friendship, but a deeper understanding of what they could be together in this complex world.
Nafa:
Yes. A friend.
Celetia (smiling):
Strange... I never expected my first friend at the academy to be you.
Nafa (slightly sarcastic):
Nor did I expect my first friendship to be with someone who barged in on me after a fight and started asking questions.
Celetia (laughing):
I couldn't resist. I should have known! The technique you used was unlike any of our boring lessons.
They arrived at the outhouse where the students lived. The light from the magic lamps cast a soft warmth on the ancient stones.
Nafa:
For your information, not all lessons are boring. But most of them... Yeah, you're right.
Celetia:
You know, we have practical training in two days. Coach Teren said we'd simulate real combat. Maybe I could benefit from what she's going to explain to me.
Nafa (seriously but not overly stressed):
Don't rely too much on Shiden at first. Start with your feelings, with your observation. When you're able to notice the difference in air energy before someone casts a spell... then we can move on to the next step.
Celetia:
Okay. But what if you suddenly disappear from the dorm and I can't find you? Because I've heard you always disappear without anyone knowing where you go.
Nafa:
I have special places I go to. More quiet, less noise... but if you need me, ask in the library. I'm usually there in the Restricted Section.
Celetia (with shining eyes):
The Restricted Section?! That's where the books we're not allowed to touch without permission?!
Nafa:
It's the same.
Celetia:
... I'll come for you there.
Nafa:
The surveillance won't let you in easily.
Celetia (stubbornly):
I'll find a way. I have a plan... almost. I'll enlist Lisa's help; she's excellent at disabling magic locks, but don't tell anyone.
Nafa (raises an eyebrow):
Lisa? Is that the same student who blew up half the chemistry class?
Celetia:
It was an experiment! And then... we're here to learn, right? Even mistakes are progress.
Nafa:
Not always, but I like the enthusiasm.
Nafa stopped at his dorm door, then looked at her:
Nafa:
Listen, if you're really interested in learning Shedin, it won't be easy. But I'll stop you.
Celetia:
Neither will I. And I'm serious.
Nafa:
Then we'll meet tomorrow in the East Courtyard, after classes.
Celetia (excitedly):
Excellent! I'll be there early.
Nafa:
And don't make an excuse for me that you forgot the homework because you were practicing.
Celetia:
Ooooh... That's a big possibility. But I'll try.
He gave her a brief wave and entered the dorm, while Celetia stood for a moment, holding the blue stone in her hand.
Celeletia (whispering to herself):
A new friend... and a new technique... Maybe the academy isn't as boring as I thought.
Then she turned and ran toward the girls' dorm, muttering her strange plans for tomorrow.