The anxiety escalated a notch in Ethan's heart at the beginning of the week. His intuition screamed at him that something was wrong. As time passed, his mind began to weaken, and his thoughts became mired in a persistent fog. His inner vila gave him no respite, particularly stirred by the prospect of not being able to bond immediately. He felt powerless, and it terrified him.
The first confirmation of his intuition came in the form of a small piece of paper slipped under his door well before dawn, while he struggled to fall asleep and had taken refuge in his office chair. Mia was fast asleep, completely unaware that this little note marked the start of a sequence of events far beyond the stakes they had thought they were facing.
"If you care about your human, participate in the next tournament," was elegantly written on the piece of parchment.
Ethan's fist closed abruptly, crumpling the message into a small ball that he tossed into one of his drawers. He had no intention of participating in this tournament. If these threats were evidence of anything, it was that it was bound to escalate. He had to inform Vassili without delay. Perhaps he could manage to cancel the event...
A sigh escaped his lips as his gaze settled on Mia's sleeping form. He couldn't bear to wake her while she slept so peacefully. And leaving her unattended was out of the question. He resigned himself to waiting for her to finish her peaceful sleep, attempting to steal the hours of sleep he lacked in the process. His attempt once again ended in failure.
When Mia finally emerged from her deep sleep, Ethan was already dressed and ready to leave.
"You should try sleeping at night," Mia said, yawning, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You're a sight to behold."
He couldn't really argue with that. Dark circles had formed under his eyes, and his porcelain skin had taken on a pallid hue. Nonetheless, the tone used by the blonde still irked him.
"Easy for you to say, since you can't do anything anyway," he grumbled.
Mia sprang up and stood firmly in front of him, furious.
"And does that give you the right to act like a jerk?"
Ethan took a long breath, trying to brush away the wave of anger that threatened to shake him before he said something he would bitterly regret. He had enough on his plate as it was, and having to deal with his soulmate while she had been delighting in tormenting him for a week was slowly becoming tiresome. Mia's priorities had been misplaced in the past few days. If he could control himself with his inner vila, she should be able to as well, even if her pheromones were amplifying her desires. It was time for him to refresh her memory a bit.
With that in mind, he suddenly opened the drawer where the paper ball rested and abruptly placed the message in her hands. Initially surprised, Mia quickly unfolded and read it before locking her questioning gaze with his.
"It was slipped under the door tonight," he informed her without delay.
"Who... and why? What does it matter if you participate in the tournament?"
"No idea, but something is brewing. And I'd prefer for us not to be involved."
"What should we do about it?" she asked, waving the paper.
"We need to inform Vassili, have him cancel the tournament..."
"Do you really think he'll manage to cancel it? Because of a piece of paper? The headmaster isn't even aware of..."
"I know," he cut her off, "but it's worth a try."
Thirty minutes later, Mia and Ethan were seated across from Professor Vassili's desk. He quickly scanned the message before returning his gaze to Ethan, looking contrite.
"You want me to try to cancel the tournament, don't you?" he inquired with a sigh.
Ethan nodded, gritting his teeth. It wasn't the expression of someone who intended to do anything to help them, and his impression was confirmed a few seconds later.
"I can't do anything, you already know that. The headmaster mustn't know what's going on between you two."
"Why rush the next tournament in the first place?" Mia suddenly asked. "I doubt tensions between the werewolves and the magicians have truly subsided..."
"The headmaster believes the tension has cooled down enough that there won't be any serious incidents to fear and that the competition will be a good outlet for those few minds that are still a bit too agitated."
"So why not convince him it's a terrible idea?" the blonde questioned.
"Because he's convinced otherwise," he grimaced. "I can't do anything to help you."
Mia looked disheartened at the professor as Ethan was already getting up. Continuing the conversation would lead nowhere. The moment they left the office, Mia grabbed his elbow to get his attention.
"Don't you find it strange? I thought he was good at persuasion or whatever, with his vampire powers. Why couldn't he use them on the headmaster? Or at least try?"
"He probably has a good reason not to try. Do you think he's lying?" he asked without much conviction.
"I don't know. But something's off," she confidently replied.
"Listen, Vassili is on our side. I've known him since I was a kid. If he says he can't help us, it means he can't help us. There's no need to look any further."
"If you say so," she exclaimed, making a face.
Mia still didn't seem convinced. At the back of his mind, a small "what if" tried to sneak into the thoughts of his inner turmoil. He dismissed it at the cost of a nascent headache. If there was someone he had complete trust in, it was Vassili. Doubting that fact required an energy he no longer had. His mental health was already hanging by a thread.
The second confirmation came on Wednesday morning, while Ethan and Mia were having tea with Lily. The fairy allowed herself only a few hours of break per day here and there, maintaining a hectic pace shared by her colleagues. The days leading up to the tournaments were always dedicated to replenishing stocks of potions, herbs, and balms. There was also a slight increase in the number of injuries to be treated, attributed to the fierce training that the tournament participants subjected themselves to. This time was certainly no exception to the rule. In fact, the tension within the school was driving its inhabitants to be cautious and not skimp on physical and mental preparation.
"We plan to double our stocks compared to the last tournament," Lily explained. "Some fairies even think we should recruit temporary labor for the D-day... Everyone knows it's going to get out of hand, I don't understand why it wasn't canceled."
"You told me that peace is still fragile... I feel like it's not going to last," Mia replied. "If the tournament degenerates to this extent, what's to say that individuals will respect the treaty?"
The fairy sighed as she leaned forward in her chair, clasping her hands into a tight fist, elbows on her knees. Her voice lowered, aiming for more discretion.
"Listen, with what you've told me about your conversation with Professor Vassili, and if he's as trustworthy as Ethan claims..."
Ethan responded with a confident nod.
"... which I also believe," she continued, "I think the headmaster is plotting something. He must have a reason for pushing the tournament, and I'm afraid it's not a good reason..."
Ethan had come to the same conclusion during the night. Mia had quickly supported his hypotheses, although she still harbored doubts about Vassili's role in the story. And this conclusion didn't please him at all. As if things weren't already complicated enough for the couple, adding a war to the equation made the task more challenging than they could handle.
"Lily!" shouted a voice they quickly recognized as Andrei's.
He had rushed into the infirmary, carrying an unconscious Arry against his chest, looking panicked. The trio immediately got up and went to meet him, as two other fairies were already preparing a bed for the magician.
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"What happened?" Lily asked immediately, observing her red-haired friend in the arms of the young man and leading him to one of the rooms.
The coolness with which the fairy treated even her own injured friends was always impressing Ethan. It wasn't that she didn't care, it was just that she controlled her emotions enough to be efficient and carry out her job meticulously. It was something that commanded respect.
Andrei laid Arry on the bed and quickly brought a chair to sit by her side and hold her hand.
"We were practicing with a few other magicians... I'm not sure what happened... Suddenly... she just fell unconscious."
Mia also approached her friend to make sure she was still breathing. Her face was frozen with anxiety and her hands were trembling slightly. She quickly stepped back to make room for the fairy and stood against Ethan, who had leaned against the wall in a corner of the room.
"Where's Oz?" the fairy inquired, surprised that the animal wasn't around when its owner was injured.
"I... I had to knock him out," Andrei explained. "He went berserk and pounced on me when I tried to lift her. I didn't have time to think... He must have thought I was going to hurt her... Or maybe he's angry at me for not being able to protect her..."
As if to support his words, the sound of claws scraping the wooden floor of the infirmary reached their ears. In a matter of seconds, the wolf burst into the hallway and leaped onto the bed, watching over its mistress with its imposing stature. Its menacing growls forced Lily to step back a few paces, but it was clear that its fangs were not directed at the fairy.
"Oz! Don't make me put you to sleep!" Lily yelled at the wolf, who didn't even bother to turn his head.
Before he could actually attack the wizard, Lily frantically rummaged in the small bag she always carried and pulled out a vial, uncorking it with a flick of her thumb. After shaking the vial, she tossed the fine powder towards the animal's muzzle. His growls slowed and eventually died in his mouth, then his legs gave way under the narcotic effect of the potion. Finally, his eyes closed, and the wolf peacefully fell asleep, lying across the redhead's legs.
A sigh of relief escaped the sorcerer's lips, immediately imitated by the other occupants of the room.
"What got into him?" Ethan asked, retracting the protective arm he had slipped around Mia's waist in case things got a bit too out of control and the wolf decided to attack everyone.
"He must have panicked," Lily explained, quickly regaining her composure to focus on her patient. "It's not the first time I've seen a spirit animal become aggressive after something happens to their master."
Something that vilas have in common with them, Ethan thought, hoping not to find himself in the same situation. But someone would be dead by now if it was me.
Lily placed her palms on the redhead's temples, enveloping her head in a soft green glow as she assessed the situation. It was a scene Ethan had witnessed many times before, but not Mia, who was scrutinizing every move of the fairy closely. A few minutes later, Lily straightened up, biting her lip.
"She's... in a coma-like state. I don't know exactly what caused it. Probably a spell... but I don't recognize it. I can't do anything to wake her up immediately."
Her diagnosis was met with somber expressions and anxious looks. Mia leaned a little more against Ethan's chest, dejected, while Andrei hid his face in his hands to conceal his distress.
"Is there a chance she'll wake up naturally?" Andrei inquired.
"Is she just asleep? Is she at risk?" Mia asked at the same time.
"I don't know. For now, I don't think she's going to wake up. It seems relatively harmless, and she shouldn't be at risk... anyway, we'll keep an eye on her."
It wasn't that Ethan didn't care about his soulmate's friends, but a more urgent question was on his mind. Now that it was established that the redhead wasn't at much risk apart from a prolonged sleep, it seemed important to ask.
"Did it seem intentional?"
"I... I don't know," Andrei replied, shaking his head. "It's likely... Gloria's gang holds us responsible for her brother's death, they might have sought revenge..."
Indeed, an attack by the werewolves was the most plausible explanation. This hypothesis made him uncomfortable. Firstly, because he didn't like Mia being so close to a conflict that for once didn't directly involve her, but mainly because something didn't add up...
Why put her to sleep harmlessly if they're seeking revenge?
His final confirmation came the next day, two days before the tournament. To a naive and inattentive eye, the events of this week looked like a series of unrelated unfortunate incidents. For Ethan, however, so many stressful events couldn't be a coincidence. He hadn't yet managed to discern the common thread among them, but his intuition was telling him that everything was connected.
Of course, it had made him slightly paranoid. Struggling to distinguish between what could be plausible and what resulted from his intense stress, he relied on Mia to judge his hypotheses.
The second small piece of parchment left under his door during the night did nothing to ease his tormented mind. The message was the same as the first, clearly intended as a pressure tactic. This time, it was Mia who had discovered it after being awakened by his muffled growls, the result of restless sleep and numerous nightmares. That was when exhaustion finally caught up with him and his body collapsed from fatigue, but of course, his mind couldn't find rest.
This afternoon, Mia had felt like taking a walk in the gardens to enjoy the fresh spring air. After spending several hours at the bedside of her red-haired friend, who showed no signs of improvement, Lily ordered the pair and Andrei to leave the room, declaring that moping at her bedside was useless and they would be immediately informed if the situation changed. Ethan fervently agreed, unable to bear the silence that hung in the room. It left too much time for his mind to wander.
They had then settled in their almost habitual spot after walking slowly, enjoying the invigorating breeze caressing their faces. Sitting in the grass next to each other, Ethan rested his head against the imposing trunk of the tree they were leaning against and sighed. Even in such a peaceful place, he couldn't relax. Mia seemed to be shaken by the same state of mind, as she quickly rested her head against his shoulder. Her need for comfort had far outweighed her desire to blow off steam after what had happened to Arry.
"It's crazy. I never thought I'd make friends here... Getting attached to people made the prospect of being stuck here way too real. I also felt like I was replacing the friends from my world. Maybe I am... I don't forget them, but I don't miss them that much anymore. And to think they probably believe I'm dead..."
The vila let Mia monologue, not having much to contribute to the conversation. Friendship wasn't a topic on which he could claim to be experienced. Could he even say he had friends? Comrades, acquaintances, family, yes, but friends? Caring about a person was already exhausting enough, he had no idea how people could intentionally nurture friendships with multiple individuals.
"Even worse is that I don't know them that well. Lily and Arry," she clarified. "But I guess danger and shared drama have this way of bringing people closer..."
A theory that would soon be put to the test. Twenty minutes later, feeling tired that the vila wasn't very talkative, Mia decided it was time to end their little outdoor escapade. After traversing the gardens in reverse, they quickly found themselves in the main courtyard. Their peaceful retreat was disrupted by a group of agitated individuals by the castle doors. One silhouette, in particular, stood out, reminding Ethan of someone he knew...
"It's Andrei! What is he doing?" Mia exclaimed, already preparing to join her friend's boyfriend.
Ethan grabbed her elbow to keep her feet planted and prevent her from moving forward. With her human hearing, she couldn't clearly hear what was happening, but Ethan could. And if the accusatory tone of Andrei was any indication, he was betting that a fight was about to break out. He didn't even need to probe their auras to understand that the group of individuals consisted of werewolves ready for a showdown.
The volume of the discussion suddenly increased as Andrei took a step forward. Was he really foolish enough to attack an entire pack while he was all alone? Mia seemed to think the same thing as the vila, as she shot him a meaningful look, silently asking him to intervene. He had no desire to make new enemies, but his human wasn't giving him much choice. She considered the magician a friend.
"Stay here," he ordered Mia.
A first punch was thrown towards one of the werewolves, who responded with a growl aimed at the sorcerer responsible for the attack. His comrade on the left growled in return and lunged at Andrei, claws outstretched, aiming for his neck, trying to choke him, or rather to crush his trachea. The young man narrowly dodged to the right, ending up trapped by his accomplice, who sank his claws into his shoulder, forcing him to throw himself to the ground, crouching to escape the brutal pressure of the werewolf that threatened to break a few of his bones.
Before Ethan could finish crossing the few dozen meters that separated him from the group, a student slipped into the pack and stood before the werewolves, after shooting a serious glance at the vila.
That's the sister of the deceased werewolf, he recognized. The question now is whether she's here to make things even messier or not.
Her gaze didn't resemble someone about to add fuel to the fire, he noted with relief. Indeed, her hands settled on the shoulders of the two werewolves who were both interlocutors and main opponents to the sorcerer, immediately putting an end to the heated exchange. The two wolves took a step back as Andrei rose to his feet, holding his shoulder.
"Calm down! Aren't you ashamed to be fighting right in the middle of the courtyard? At least wait for the tournament for that!" she declared sternly, her severe gaze sweeping over her fellow students before landing on Andrei.
"I won't leave until you acknowledge what you did to Arry!" the sorcerer yelled.
"It wasn't us," she firmly stated.
"Andrei," Ethan severely interjected, having joined the magician before he could respond.
The eyes of the she-wolf glanced over the vila once more. Her gaze seemed to want to convey something, but he couldn't decipher what it was. His instinct was telling him it was a warning, but against what? Yet, the hostility of the she-wolf seemed clearly directed towards the sorcerer. He gave the pack a death glare for a few seconds before turning away and stepping back. He was quickly greeted by the worried Mia, who hastened to offer to accompany him to the infirmary.
As the pack also dispersed, the she-wolf grabbed Ethan's arm to pull him closer. She whispered a few words to him before he could retort or break free from her grip.
"I'd be wary of him if I were you, he's acting strange. He seems a little too eager to start a fight with no evidence. And before you ask, no, it wasn't us. What interest would we have in putting her in a coma?"
With those words, she released him, letting him join Mia and Andrei. The vila's mind was working in overdrive, trying to piece together the puzzle.
"What did she want?" Andrei asked with disgust.
"Nothing, she just wanted to make sure we understood it wasn't them," Ethan replied evasively.
"Hn, I don't believe it," he exclaimed with disdain.
Mia seemed to want to add something, but he quickly shot her a look indicating that the discussion was closed. He would discuss it with her later, when the magician wasn't around.
Once again, a new weight settled on his shoulders. Was the she-wolf's warning justified, or was she merely acting out of contempt for the sorcerer? Who could he truly trust?