Calytrix's Journey

Part XXXIV: Mentorship

I guess I was stuck with my new travel companion for now. To my pleasure, he was a human who could potentially 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 mote 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 quickly glanced at him but then I switched my gaze to the lake" besides, this lake reminds me of home." The nostalgia for my home village overflowed so much that I almost teared up. "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 colour, sparkles of sunshine in the water and the bubbles the fish made would all be wasted on ungratefulness.

"Calytrix, you seem disappointed, but I am also disappointed because you keep skipping training," he said." I gave you a day off yesterday because all of the things that happened lately, but we start now." Akios's serious eyes were focused on me.

"It's hard to train on my own. I never had anyone 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 try to attack me."

My surroundings? It seemed odd but I decided to follow his instructions. The sun was high up in the sky and intensely illuminated everything because there were no clouds to block it. Judging from it's position I'd say it was noon. We didn't have lunch yet either and I wasn't hungry so that was one point more to say it wasn't afternoon. Wait! These kinds of thoughts will get me nowhere. I need to focus and look again.

Dragonflies flew along the lake. They could make a sound distraction if I amplify their movements. Dragonflies gathered at the center of the lake the while annoying bloodsucking mosquitoes stayed by my side. As they bit me I ran around the lake. The little blood they took could be seen as a sacrifice to call forth the mosquito king.

I ran around the lake a few times while Akios expressionlessly waited for my attack. "Culicidae," I quietly said „in honorem sanguinis mei," I fell silent and let them bite me. Just a little bit more. It tickled like hell but I had to preserve. I mustn't show him my next move.

My hand moved on its own to scratch my skin, but I barely stopped it while a single tear moisture my cheek. He probably wouldn't think anything of me 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 mid air above the lake. They formed a living, shifting cloud with a strong buzzing sound. It was their dance to call their supreme leader.

Their sounds was certainly annoying and strong but not enough to distract Akios. „Anisoptera!" I focued on the dragonflies. „Amplificio!" Their numbers increased on so did thir buzzing. Combined with the buzzing from the mosquitoes all of the other sounds were blocked.

Akios remained still. He displayed a lot of patience so that's why I had to make it right. A single attack wouldn't cut it I need multiple attacks and distractions at once.

The swarm of mosquitoes was still calling for its king. Just a little bit more but in the meantime I need to block vision. "Lux" I chanted " dona mihi magnam lucem!" The white sun rays cancelled out all of the colours until a buzzing white was all hat remained. It blocked my vision too but since I ran around the lake a few times I had a good grasp of where to find Akios.