Awakening cocoon. Zed wasn’t entirely sure how to feel about that even as the lower left portion of the crimson orb was blasted into oblivion. Unfortunately, while it was no longer as thick there, it remained just as thick in other places.

A spatter of the cocoon splashed against the back wall, staining the blue in its crimson. Then it sort of faded away, as if sucked into the wall somehow. Zed gave it little thought as his eyes caught sight of Shanine’s feet.

“If her feet are there,” he said to himself, pointing, then he moved his aim in a different direction, “then her head will be there.”

His hand moved again. He paused before he cast another rune, turned back and looked at Oliver.

“A little help here.”

“I’m Rukh,” Oliver explained. “Any spell I cast is more likely to rip her in two than help.” He followed it up with a helpless shrug.

Zed turned to Trevor. The dangerous objects around Shanine had since finished so they only had the wind in their faces and the occasional color of ambient mana brought to life.

“What about you, doc?” he asked. “Anything you can help with?”

Trevor shrugged. “Not a combat mage… sorry.”

He at least had the decency to look embarrassed at his helplessness.

Zed nodded and turned back to Shanine. I guess we need a new tactic.

He held his hand out and cast a new rune. It flared to life in a translucent purple haze in front of him.

* You have cast basic rune [Force shield].

He felt the rune’s connectioin to him. Unlike his other runes, this was the only one that required more than just casting it. It required that he hold it in place, keep it alive. He could feel its ever present draw on his mana, seeping it from his core like a hungry baby suckling on its mother’s tit.

Zed held the shield close to himself then walked straight into the cocoon. The moment the shield of purple came in contact with the cocoon, the reaction was instantaneous.

* Basic rune [Force shield] has applied effect [Kickback] on [Awakening cocoon].

The entire front of the cocoon exploded in different directions, splashed about like a pierced balloon. Not for the first time, Zed wondered why a rune with the name ‘shield’ in it was deflecting instead of blocking.

The Awakening cocoon scattered, the front bursting apart the moment it made contact with the [Force shield]. Not for the first time, Zed wondered why a rune with the name shield in it was dealing an effect called [Deflect]. Perhaps he would have to ask Festus about it.

Zed stepped into the open space now present within the cocoon. Shanine continued to hover in mid-air, clothed in blue scrubs as patients in the hospital tend to be. The moment he was within reaching distance of her the air seemed to settle. For a moment he was distracted. The ambient mana was no longer troubled. It calmed like a child in the presence of their parent, a subject in the presence of their sire.

Around him lines, straight and curved, flickered at the edge of his vision. He turned, distracted. But each time he tried to catch them clearly, they vanished. They existed only at the edge of seeing, like monsters that exist in the dark as children, present only until you try to see them.

“The cocoon’s closing again, Zed!”

Oliver’s voice shook Zed from his distraction. While it was loud, it wasn’t necessarily panicked. Oliver didn’t think remaining in the cocoon when it closed would do Zed any harm.

“No point testing it though,” Zed muttered. He reached up to Shanine and grabbed her by the wrist. The moment their skin touched, he felt a familiar sense, something he’d felt before. He couldn’t quite figure out what exactly it was.

The cocoon lost its color, crimson dulled into a dim purple that dulled into what looked like a dirty blue. The air joined the ambient mana to fall into silence. Shanine suddenly dropped from the air.

Zed snatched her up before she hit the ground.

He turned to the others, holding her up as a knight would a princess. “Well that was something.”

Ash, Oliver and Trevor stared at Zed with mixed expressions. Oliver had a small smile on his lips as if Zed’s response was completely expected. Ash watched him, the nervous skepticism he’d since noticed on her present. As for Trevor, he looked like a scientist who’d just seen the impossible happen.

“That was amazing!” Trevor said, excited, bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Alright, that’s a bit too much excitement, Doc,” Zed said, then hefted Shanine so her body would be more comfortable. “Where do I put her?”

Trevor pointed behind Zed only for his finger to fall limp. Zed turned to look behind him. All that was there was a shattered hospital bed, a bent drip stand, and a bit more mess. He turned back with a shrug.

“I guess we’re gonna need a new bed.”

He walked towards one of the beds on one side of the room. Shanine stirred in his arms and he stopped. She made a sound, a moan, a slight groan. Something tired. Zed stood still, waited. Her eyes stirred gently behind her lids and the lids flickered gently. He waited longer.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

While he waited, he noticed a few things about her were different. For one, her once unkempt her was clean, smooth, and a deep black. It was free and without blemish. The same could be said of her skin. He cocked his head to the side as his eyes continued to linger.

Does awakening give someone a complete makeover? He wondered. The thought caused him to take his eyes from her.

“Were you uglier before?” he asked, looking at Oliver.

“Uglier?” Oliver asked, puzzled.

“Y’know, less chiseled jaw, less boyish charm, less—Oh my GOD. Jason’s good looks is magical.”

“What are you going on about now, Zed?”

“Well I just noticed that,” Zed hefted Shanine once more and paused. She had a little extra weight now. “As I was saying, I just noticed that Shanine got finer.”

A slow smirk stretched across Oliver’s face.

“I mean, she’s got clearer skin,” Zed added hurriedly. “Her breathing’s better now. She’s got cleaner hair.”

Oliver’s smirk grew wider, split into a knowing grin.

“Oh fuck off!” Zed snapped and Oliver started laughing. “You know it’s not like that. And why am I even justifying myself to you.”

Oliver held his side, still laughing. His laughter wasn’t loud yet it came from the belly, a product of unadulterated entertainment.

“Anyone ever tell you you’re mean?” Zed muttered, completing his half forgotten journey of taking Shanine to her new bed.

She stirred again as he moved but he didn’t stop. When he got to the bed, he placed her gently on it. She didn’t look as peaceful as she had when he’d caught her mere moments ago.

“How’s she doing?”

Zed turned to Trevor, slightly starting at his words.

“Sorry, what?” he asked.

“Well, the Awakened handle awakening differently. I remember my friend, Carl. When he awakened he was so full of energy, claimed he could eat a horse. Probably can now since he’s almost a Rukh.”

Zed stared at him, waiting.

“What I’m trying to say is that when I awakened,” Trevor explained, “I was a mess. My breathing was poor, I kept on hyperventilating. I felt heavier—fat. My gosh it was like falling sick and going through puberty all at once while breathing through a straw.”

Zed leaned down, placed his ear to Shanine’s nose, eyes never leaving Trevor. After a few seconds he stood back to his full height.

“Her breathing sounds fine to me.”

“Oh, that’s good.” Trevor sounded genuinely relieved.

“Is awakening that scary? It always struck me as a good thing, but you’re making it seem life threatening.”

“Not to scare anyone but some people don’t survive their awakening.”

Those words drew Ash and Oliver’s attention. Oliver’s laughter, or what residue of it remained, died almost immediately. Ash was the first to speak.

“I didn’t experience any issues when I went through it. If anything, I felt stronger,” she clenched her fist, “powerful.”

“Me, too,” Oliver supported. “I’ve never heard of anyone that had a hard time going through it.”

“Really?” Trevor asked, scratching his head. “That’s new. Wait, you guys awakened with the second awakening, right?”

“Yeah,” Oliver answered. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Well, I awakened before the second awakening. So maybe that’s why—”

“And you’re still an Awakened?” Ash interrupted.

Zed chuckled. “She seems really annoyed at your rank, Trey.”

He still stood next to Shanine, waiting. For what exactly, he couldn’t say. Maybe he just wanted to stay until she woke up. Maybe he was simply there because there was no point going to stand in any other part of the room.

You know why you’re standing here, he thought, refuting all the possible reasons. You’re still staring, after all.

He was. Something about what awakening had done to Shanine intrigued him. Her aura, once simple and almost non-existent, was now clear and strong. It wasn’t powerful, not by a long shot, but it was there. If it had once been a sketch work, barely scribbled on a piece of paper by an aspiring artist, it was now filled out so that anyone could make an educated guess at what the painting was going to be. Or what it could be

“Zed,” Oliver said.

“Yes?”

“You’re staring a bit too hard, dude. I’m getting worried.”

Zed still hadn’t looked up from Shanine’s face, so Oliver continued. “I know I joked about liking her but do you…”

Oliver’s words trailed off, leaving everyone’s minds to complete the sentence.

Zed made a sound that could’ve meant anything. For him it meant nothing. It was naught more than a sound, a response given because one was required. He didn’t think he liked Shanine, at least not like that. As for his continued focus on her face, it wasn’t her beauty that held his attention. He knew that as surely as he knew the VHF was wasting time remaining in this place. It had been days now since the expedition. He’d been banking on them to move now, to proceed on to the next step.

If he was being honest, things had staled—slipped into a bored monotony. He was growing bored, purposeless. His mind worked through his disagreements, but his eyes never left Shanine’s face. Slowly he was beginning to understand why it held his attention so strongly. It was simple: her face was magical.

The moment it clicked something changed. Zed wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but he knew it, was certain of it. Shanine’s face became less magical and more mathematical. It had a pattern, an order. He cocked his head to the side trying to make it out. It was there, he only had to see it.

“Zed?”

There was worry in Oliver’s voice now.

Maybe if I take a sniff, Zed thought. Maybe it’s not just about sight.

He leaned down, slow, skeptical. The movement disrupted the sense of pattern he was getting but did not dispel it. Zed moved back up. Nope. Almost lost it there.

“Zed?”

Oliver’s voice was closer now. Zed raised a hand to stall him, palm open and held out.

“Shhh,” he hushed him, voice quiet so that he didn’t end up distracting himself.

Oliver complied. Zed could feel curiosity overtake Oliver’s worry. Even without looking at him, he knew Oliver had questions now. Well if not questions, at least a question. He would answer it but not now. Now, he needed to figure out what was—

Shanine opened her eyes.

“Hazel,” Zed muttered.

“W…what?” she asked, groggy, voice low and words slow.

Zed smiled fondly. “Your eyes. They’re hazel.”

There was a moment of silence. It filled the entire room. In it Zed was left staring into Shanine’s eyes. He wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about the silence, so he broke it.

“How long does it take before we know what kind of mage she’ll be?” he asked. When no one answered immediately, he added: “I’m talking to you, Trigger.”

“It’s Trevor,” Trevor muttered, his complaint half-hearted.

“I apologize,” Zed said, eyes never leaving Shanine’s.

“This is getting kinda awkward,” Shanine told him, her voice still low.

Zed smiled at that. “You should save up your strength, Chanine. Something tells me you’ll need it.”

“Still awkward,” she said.

“You’re smiling,” he told her. “You must like it.”

“I’m smiling because it’s my reaction to awkward situations.”

“Nope. You’re smiling because you like it. Trigger! Where’s my response… please.”

“M…most mages,” Trevor answered, voice confused. “Most mages don’t start showing signs until after a while of using mana.”

“I see.”

“Zed,” Oliver interrupted. “What’s going on right now?”

For the first time since opening her eyes, Shanine moved them from Zed. She moved them to Oliver, paused for a moment, then said, “Your friend is being a creep, that’s what’s happening.”

Those would’ve been serious words if not for the small amused smile that touched her lips as she said them.

Zed shook his head with a smile of his own.