The Elementals II: Knit of Fate

The only freebie in the world, I wouldn't like.

Immediately, I followed Jaray towards our dorm. It’s not a long run-walk after all.

As soon as he dropped his bag, I exclaimed, “What’s wrong with you?!”

He didn’t reply, he kept his distance from me. I kinda feel stupid talking to his back...

“Jaray! I know there’s something wrong, please... I am here to listen. If you’ve got a problem with someone, tell me! You won’t fix anything by acting like a child!”

Still, talk to hand Elly... Grrr...

“Hey!”Now, enough! I lunged at him and pulled him to face me and I was shocked to see his eyes drenched in tears. I gasped and pulled myself away from him.

He was so crying that you can barely distinguish tears from nose-fluids. Eeww.. Alright, we’re serious here. He crouched like going to sit on the floor but I pulled him towards the sofa.

“Jara-” I was about to talk again when I heard the door opened and Lou came in but as soon as what’s happening came to his senses, he immediately bowed his head and turned around and went out again.

“Jaray.” I gathered my thoughts again, I really hate it when I was interrupted in what I was about to say, the wind seem to blew my thoughts away in that split of seconds, “Is this something about Nai?”

He’s now hiccupping and his hanky is really yucky-wet. Slowly, he nodded.

“Look, I don’t mean to sound rude in here but Nai’s dead.”

I felt the whole room listening like there are thousands of ears around. The room is so quiet that the silent crackling of fire at the hearth and Jaray’s sobs are the only replies I get.

“Yeah, it’s sad, it’s tragic but that’s life. This world is a big colourful book, characters might pop out anywhere and some may not be included in the next chapter anymore, and one day you won’t know what is in the next chapter anymore ‘coz your story might had ended already.” I surely know under those sobs, he’s listening.

“It’s not wrong to feel sad or to cry or to talk to someone about your losses. Sometimes you have to find someone to share your loss with, we all lose him. Others have started to continue their life but you; you kept on holding to this fact that evidences don’t prove any of Nai’s death.” I paused, something inside me is aching too when I mention death, “It’s hard to let go of someone but if there’s no more means of getting him back, then I think, it would be a little bit nice, if you freely let go of hoping that someday, sometime, he’ll be back.”

“No.” Jaray said, Wew at last, I thought he had swallowed his mouth already. “I’ve- I’ve wanted to investigate the case myself but the council would not allow me.”

“Council? What council is that?”

Jaray wiped his tears away and those slimy nose fluids and tried his best to say these things as brave as he can and as tough as he can, ‘coz he usually breaks down at each pauses so he’s gonna wipe those things away again, “Council of the Greater, it’s a group of chosen students, chosen to be trained as guards or trained to run some adult errands for the school. I might explain this to you clearer some day.”

“So you’ve been really fighting for this?”

He nodded, “Roxy was there, so as Lou. I’ve been arguing about testing my theory about Nai’s village’s demise. I was hoping Roxy would support me but she just kept her mouth shut. Lou was there, he was the main man opposing my suggestions.”

And he narrated what happened...

“With all due respect to all the members of this Council, I; Enems, Jaray, Junior Stealth Officer, would like to go out there and investigate and follow some leads I have about the case of the village of Water Manipulators, along the coast of Xander’s strait.” Jaray announced at the Council. The council he said was formed by 23 Junior Stealth Officers (JSO), 7 Senior Stealth officers (SSO) and 5 Major Stealth Officers (MSO).