ILLUSION || Jason Todd

FIFTY

❝TELL ME WE GOT TIME❞

MEGHAN TRAINOR, AFTER YOU

The past few weeks, as one could assume, were hard for the young royal mage. With her time spent hunched over textbooks, overworking her brain with the studies she had missed in the past four years, she was beyond stressed and exhausted. Her initial arrival within Centia had been a little over three months ago and time was no closer to slowing down. Her days remained blended, the routine of studying and learning becoming her main focus, with the dragging of hope shadowing her every move.

Thea, as always, was correct. Lorelei's lack of sleep was not just a minor setback. Of course, it offered the ice blonde mage far more studying time - they were already over halfway through the first year she missed! - but her brain found itself desperate to whisper away into a sweet slumber of ecstasy. Every morning jog was met with less enthusiasm, her brain deeming it unnecessary now she was no longer acting vigilante.

Her excuse always remained the same; she never was acting vigilante and if she lost momentum with her return, picking herself back into shape would only hinder returning to normalcy. Lorelei didn't have to explain herself to herself, but she liked to think it made a difference. A last grip on her life in San Francisco.

When not spending time with textbooks and lessons, Lorelei remained with her head over paper and ink. Letters flew to Jason in a cycled manner. Every third day, just before she slept. Without fail. On the days where her studies were finished earlier, letters were also sent to her friends. Each letter sent felt like a new link back to her chosen family, a bittersweetness dripping between the ink and her heart.

Where they - especially Jason - were met with ink and expression, Lorelei was faced with silence. A wall bare and exposing to the isolation she battled with deflection of her emotions. It was unhealthy, Leslie wouldn't be pleased to see her run from her problems. But to fight and not flight, Lorelei had to endure. In the end, loneliness would be a thing of the past.

The violet eyed mage supposed that was her fault. Astral travel was on the tipping edge of becoming non-existent. There was her first visit to Jason, that one so long ago on her second day within Centia. Then, came her last visit. It was around one month ago now, prompted by the young Robin taking a bad injury on patrol one night. He was okay in the end, a wash of relief cleaning away his wounds at the sight of Lorelei's soul appearing within the Batcave.

She had tried to visit more, the young royal tried almost every night. To no avail, it never worked. Her brain became too much pressure and stress for Lorelei to regain the right mindframe to astral travel. Between studying and lessons kicking her ass and Archmage still living, the young mage felt too much survival instincts to let her body relax.

Seven days, every week, Lorelei was studying. It was consuming her life - and sometimes it was even a choice. She hated it, but it pushed time forward and for that alone, she would work through whatever breaks Thea tried pushing onto her. The young mage could count on two hands how many breaks she actually took within the past ninety-six days since her studies began.

If Lorelei was being honest, the selfish part of her liked the lessons. It was her silver lining to the depths of dismay with having to deal with her father. Her abilities - both elemental and spells alike, her artificial abilities were a harsh pass she made known - were expanding. She was growing stronger.

Each day Thea tried, sometimes Dylan joined in, to get the young mage to practice her artificial abilities. Claims that if she continued to fear them, the night mares would never stop were thrown her way. Eventually, Lorelei grew tired of responding. Even eye rolls were a thing of the past.