Several weeks passed after the boy was found attacked.
He had eventually woken up, but unfortunately was unable to recover his powers. The boy was sent home to his family in shame. People worried, talked about it constantly, but eventually even the most concerned of students started to relax after time passed. Some of the stricter rules on free time and activities were loosened again, which meant that the students once again could plan trips to the nearby town.
Which led to the current strange conversation.
Gerald stood in front of Erin, sweating nervously.
"So... there's a town nearby."
Erin tilted her head, mildly confused. "Yes. It's called Terinth. Did you have a question about the town?" Without thinking, she slipped back into tutor mode.
He shook his head back and forth waving his hands. "No, no that's not what I meant...urgh... Well..." He paused, as if listening to something Erin couldn't hear. "Are you busy in three days?"
She thought it over. "I don't think so. Why?"
"... Yes, that's great! I mean... so if Olivia and I wanted to take you to town for your birthday...?"
Erin felt startled; she had forgotten that her birthday was coming up. "Sure! I would love to go out with the both of you."
Gerald immediately looked more uncomfortable. "Good... yes..."
He looked around, then threw up his hands and crouched on the ground.
"UGH I can't do it! I'm sorry Olivia! I can't lie to her! I feel so guilty!"
Erin raised an eyebrow. "What's this about?"
Gerald straightened up and looked at her, obviously miserable. "I'm sorry Erin. The plan was to get you to agree to a group outing, but at the last moment Olivia was going to call in sick, so it would be a date on your birthday..." He trailed off as Erin chuckled.
"Sounds like Olivia's idea."
"Yeah, but I went along with it." He hung his head in shame.
"How is she listening in?" She tapped her foot impatiently.
"What... how did you?.... I mean, listening in? What?" He tried to look innocent.
Erin sighed. "It's good that you're so terrible at lying." She looked him over, spying a clear gem hanging on his right ear.
"An artifact?" She leaned closer to examine it, and startled, Gerald tried to move away, his eyes wide. She grabbed his shoulder to hold him in place leaning closer until her mouth was right next to it.
"Umm..." Gerald's face was now bright red up to the tips of his ears. Erin chuckled, and spoke directly into the artifact.
"Olivia you're busted. Get out here. Now."
She stepped away, grinning as Gerald covered his face and crouched down again. "Remind me never to listen to Olivia's schemes ever again." He muttered, taking the gem off his ear. "Here..." He tossed it over to her.
"Wait!" Erin caught the jewel by instinct, and then sighed as it crumbled into dust. "Oh no."
Gerald looked confused. "What happened? Why did it self destruct like that?"
"Remember when we discussed how artifacts were made, by infusing power from an ability into a conduit?"
He nodded. "Yes. You can only create an artifact the same level or below your own abilities. This was a level 1 wind artifact, capable of carrying someone's voice over long distances so that you can communicate even when apart."
