It was warm.
Not warmth as a sensation
But as a state of being.
Time flowed, but I had no edges against which to feel it then.
Only suspension. A quiet existence. Faint shades of ancient memory drifted within me, echoes of a world I must have once inhabited. I knew it had existed, that I had existed within it. Yet nothing of who I had been remained.
Then the pressure came, my sanctuary tightening around me, pushing me out.
I opened my eyes.
Moonlight filtered through thin curtains of the inn, pale and unkind, forcing me back to my new reality.
That dream again.
It had followed me for years, ever since my rebirth in this world, replaying itself in fragments whenever I slept too deeply.
Beside me lay the young lady Yuhana.
Her silver-gray skin reflected the moon in muted tones. Along her neck, where Thalassians—her kind—had their gills, a thin translucent membrane covered them on land. Under the moonlight, it shimmered faintly, an almost imperceptible green glow beneath the surface.
She was awake.
Watching me.
"Up before dawn?" shemurmured. "I'm impressed."
Her voice was low, still thick with sleep.
"It's exam week," I replied, pushing myself up on one elbow. "Third quarter. I'd rather not embarrass myself."
A corner of her lips curved.
"You? Embarrassed? That would be historic."
I reached toward her neck deliberately, tracing the curved arcs of her gill membrane.
I brushed the membrane lightly. She caught my wrist.
"Careful," she murmured, then laughed softly. "Ticklish."
The room smelled faintly of tobacco and travel dust.
"This wasn't part of the training plan," I said.
Her coat had been tossed onto the foot of the bed sometime during the night.
I leaned over, slipped a hand into its pocket, and pulled out her cigarettes. I placed one between her lips, took one for myself, and lit them both. The smoke from her cigarette carried hints of iodine and salt, with a faint herbal aroma, mixing with the scent of old wood and dust.
"You were the one who insisted on extra training," she added, exhaling smoke into my face.
"I insist on winning," I corrected.
She sat up, stretching lazily.
"Good," she said. "Then get dressed. We have some before sunrise."
"Yes, ma'am," I answered, obeying her order.
"The marsh is so alive at this hour, perfect time to try that little trick of yours."
I stood barefoot in the mud of the marsh. The scents of brine, rot, and wet earth filled my lungs as the cold breeze of dawn crawled over my skin.
She stood in front of me, yawning and stretching.
"Ready, kid?" she asked.
"Yes. But just to check… you're sure your healing can handle this?" I asked her.
She giggled.
"I don't know whether to feel charmed because my dear pupil worries about me, or offended because my helpless fool of a trainee thinks he can truly hurt me. Do you really believe a chemio master such as myself would be harmed by a middle-school brat?"
I sighed, scratching the back of my head. "A simple yes would suffice, you know."
She smirked. "Oh, come now. Don't flatter yourself, brat. Don't hold back."
I let out a short laugh. "As you wish, ma'am."
The aftermath of my attack left smoke rising faintly from her skin.
She lay back against a fallen log, resting her head briefly on my knee. The left side of her face was reddened, swollen, and distorted, her skin puffed up dramatically, as if sculpted by fire and pressure, giving her features a comically exaggerated expression. Her breathing was uneven, though I knew she was fine; this was all just acting, an absurd display to get under my skin.
She dramatically forced out a strained whisper.
"How could you do that to your poor, adorable teacher?"
I sighed. "Please… stop it. You're scaring me."
She burst into laughter and lifted her head. "Relax. I was teasing you. What a child."
She brushed her fingers over the fully healed skin.
"But that little trick of yours… it's becoming something dangerous. Jokes aside, you might've caught me off guard, even defeated me if you'd played your cards right."
I stood, wiping mud from my hands. "It's all thanks to your guidance, darling. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm covered in mud and moss. Sunrise is coming."
She rose as well. "I need a shower too. I'll drive you close to school. But keep this between us, alright? My parents would fry me alive if they found out."
"Same here," I said. "Mother would execute me properly. I'm not even the favorite child."
She laughed softly. "Deal."
On the way back to Falken-Riedt city , we sat in the back seat of her vehicle.
"So," I asked, "what happened in the Western War?"
"Let's see," I he replied, checking her board. Notifications flickered across the surface, latest updates from the western front.
"Well, it seems you were right. That 'Headless Horseman Alchemist' of yours was the table flip you predicted. Siriana's forces are on the defensive right now. Alright I guess you won"
I smirked, exhaling smoke toward her face. "Remember to send the money to my private account, not the commercial one."
She frowned playfully and pinched the tip of my nose. "Stupid brat. Just because I taught you that little trick to hide the iodine-tinged scent of dried seaweed smoke doesn't mean you get free access to my priorities."
She snatched the cigarette from my mouth and placed it between her own lips.
"Alright, Edric stop here," she ordered her butler.
The vehicle slowed.
"Get out. If I drive you any closer, someone might spot us."
"Oh, come on," I complained. "It's still several hundred meters from school."
"Shut it. What are you, a princess? You can take care of yourself." she said.
Then her tone shifted.
"And one more thing."
Her voice turned cold and calm.
"If you ever use that trick on my sister during the exam, avoid her face. For your own sake."
Before I could respond, the vehicle pulled away, leaving me standing in the street in my school uniform, with less than an hour to make it to class.
After a few steps, a luxurious vehicle pulled over next to me.
"Good morning, clumsy Nour!" a familiar and friendly voice echoed out.
"Oh sh*t… not them!" I muttered under my breath.