Chapter 156: Flickering Flame
Jolting at the sudden voice, I whirled around, only to see Elise’s radiant face beaming at me. "H-hi!" I squeaked, turning red. Had she seen me steal anything?
She laughed, slipping forward and entwining her arm through mine. "Come on, let’s got to the tower. I heard you’re going to be leaving soon."
Her touch sent tingles through my body, but I didn’t even consider pushing her away. Dragging me in her wake, Elise walked and talked cheerfully about her day, leading me to the library. On account of my lingering weakness, an effect of my time in the dungeon, we moved slowly, simply enjoying each other company’s. By the time we reached the tower, I was reluctant to part and clung to her as she tried to take her usual seat opposite me.
"So needy," she teased, a twinkle in her golden eyes.
My tail curled and I looked away, a bashful pink staining my cheeks, but I didn’t let go. Giggling softly, she relented and sat beside me. I knew I was being selfish, but even in our short time together, the gloom and fear circling my mind had diminished significantly. With the fear of our departure weighing on me, I yearned to bask in her light, as a sunflower turns to the sun.
Her smile faded as I sniffed, tears gathering in my eyes. Without hesitating, she wrapped an arm around me, pulling me close.
"It’s alright," she whispered, tenderly stroking my hair.
I collapsed into her, content with her ministrations. Her touch was far softer than Soltair’s, which practically oozed his pride and arrogance, bestowed on a girl he felt heroic protecting. But Elise was gentle, and tender, and I couldn’t help but shed a tear, my heart full.
Was this what it meant to have a friend? It wasn’t until this moment that I truly understood the difference. Soltair had preyed upon my inexperience and vulnerability, providing comfort when it stoked his heroic ego, but no further. A friend was someone who was always there, not simply when it conveniences them.
"Don’t go," I sobbed, not caring one bit that I was the one leaving.
Her shoulder rolled under me, a helpless shrug. "I wish I could go with you, but I would only slow you down. When you fought beside me in the duel, I finally realized the gap between us students and you heroes. To be honest, I think everyone at the school did. We go to classes, study, train, and fight duels with each other, but at the end of the day, we’re only small birds in a big sky. When the demon attacked, I couldn’t do anything. You were forced to give your soul to the demon and ended up shattering it to save me. If only I’d been stronger..."