Calytrix's Journey

Chapter XXV: Mentorship

I guess I was stuck with my new travel companion for now. To my pleasure, he was a human who might be a friend, but to my displeasure; he was the mage Akios, a man I was unsure what I thought of. Could we start over from the rocky meetings and become good buddies and real travel companions? Could we save the world together again? I wish he'd trust me more and tell me more about the things he knew about the world, magic, and even himself.

"Are those fish that interesting? You've been staring at them for half an hour," Akios whispered in my ear.

"I-I was just thinking about things," I said as I quickly glanced at him, but then I switched my gaze to the small lake. "Besides, this lake reminds me of home." 

I was so overcome with homesickness for my village that I nearly shed tears. 

"Do you like lakes, Akios?"

"Lakes..." he paused, "I never think of them."

I stood up because a person who does not appreciate lakes does not deserve to see them. The mossy green color, sunshine sparkles, and the bubbles from the fish would all be lost on an ungrateful person.

"Calytrix, you seem disappointed, but I am also disappointed because you keep skipping training," he said. "I gave you a day off yesterday because of all the things that have happened lately, but we start now." 

Akios focused his serious eyes on me.

"It's hard to train on my own. I had no one to teach me besides books," I said.

"You are not on your own anymore. Use me," Akios said.

I carefully looked at him, even tilted my head because I wasn't sure what Akios wanted me to do. He shook his head in displeasure. 

"Examine your surroundings first and then try to attack me," Akios explained.

My surroundings? Although it felt strange, I obeyed his directions. A cloudless sky allowed the high sun to illuminate everything with intensity. Based on its location, I estimated it was midday. We hadn't had lunch yet, and I wasn't hungry, so that was one more point to say it wasn't afternoon. 

Wait! 

These kinds of thoughts I've been having will get me nowhere. I need to focus and look again.

Along the lake, dragonflies were in flight. Amplifying their movements could create a useful distraction. Annoying mosquitoes swarmed me as dragonflies gathered in the lake's middle. I ran around the lake while they bit me. One could interpret the small blood draw as a summoning ritual for the mosquito king.

I ran around the lake a few times while Akios expressionlessly waited for my attack. 

"Culicidae," I whispered, "In honorem sanguinis mei!" 

I fell silent and let them bite me. Just a little more. It tickled like hell, but I had to persevere. I mustn't show him my next move. My hand moved on its own to scratch my skin, and I barely stopped it while a single tear moistured my cheek. He probably wouldn't think anything of my scratching, but I should be sure just in case.

"Culex..." I began chanting. "Culex rex honora nos praesentia tua!" 

I looked at Akios across the lake as a swarm of mosquitoes formed in midair above the lake. With a powerful buzzing noise, they created a living cloud. They danced in order to summon their supreme leader.

Despite their loud and irritating noises, Akios remained focused.

"Anisoptera!" I said as I focused on the dragonflies. 

"Amplificio!" 

As their numbers grew, so did their noise. The mosquitoes' buzzing blocked all other sounds.