Eye of The Wyvern

Muffled voices danced around her ears.

"I assure you, professor, she'll be alright."

"I would advise for no magic use. It seems lethal to her."

"Yes, her body cannot handle this."

"No, I'm not going to give up on her. She just needs extra time. It isn't lethal. She is just not ready for it."

Karissa's eyes fluttered open, blinking away the blurs. "Wh.." she stuttered, "where am I?" Professor Chasm appeared by her side. "Everything is okay, Karissa," he assured, "You're in the medical room. You passed out in my class." The memory hit her, and a wave of embarrassment and shame with it. "Oh Goddess," she sighed, sitting up, "Chasm I'm so sorry.. I'm sorry." He hushed her, "Do not be so foolish, child. Apologies are not needed."

Headmaster Andla walked up next to Chasm, "You will be alright, Karissa. Your power is... much stronger than we anticipated. You'll be put into less advanced classes immediately." Karissa shook her head, "N-no. I wanna stay where I am. Please, headmaster." Andla sighed. "If I may," Chasm chimed in, "she can stay in my first class as long as she is an observer for any advanced situations. It will just be more written work." He looked at Karissa, "And as far as your own personal power, I and Delta will tutor you ourselves." Andla shook her head, "There cannot be any tutoring for just one student, Chasm. That will look bad on both of you."

A woman entered the room, Professor Delta. "Headmaster," she smiled, "I have a group of students with Karissa that will also be tutored. It won't just be her, and it will not affect others." Andla went silent, thinking for a moment. Chasm seemed to have a pleading look on his face, "I have high hopes for her, Andla. She is very capable of doing much more than even her mother." She sighed. "We cannot know that for sure, Chasm," Andla sat on a chair and looked at Karissa, "What would you like to do, Karissa? It is completely your choice."

"I wanna stay where I am," Karissa nodded, "please, Headmaster.." She looked at Chasm, "I'll try harder, I promise." He smiled and put a hand up, "I don't need you to try harder, sweetheart, I need you to have more patience." She nodded. Andla sighed, "Alright," she put a hand on Karissa's shoulder, "we'll consider your ideas, Chasm, and Karissa will train with patience." Chasm smiled at his student, who smiled back with a thanking nod.

After a few minutes, Karissa leapt from her corner in the medic. As soon as she was about to leave, a voice rang from behind her, "Leaving so soon, shimmer?" She turned to see Malachi seated on a bed, only a curtain separated him from the bed she had been in. "What're you doing here?" She walked up to him, "Are you hurt!?" He shook his head, "I have a high pain tolerance, sweet." He pointed to the bandage on his arm, "Your flames only left a small scratch on me. And don't worry, no one else was hurt. Chasm has quick reflexes and managed to shield others around you." Her heart ached with guilt and embarrassment.

Seeing the look of pain in her face, Malachi gently took her pale hands into his shining dark ones, "It's alright," he said, "I promise everything is alright." She stared at his hands, light scars on a few fingertips. He lightly caressed her thin fingers, looking into her eyes, "It's okay." A small smile formed on her face, heart skipping beats at his gentle touch. "Anyway," he let go of her and stood, "nurse dismissed me too, I was just staying to skip because she left me unattended." Karissa had to tilt her head upward to make eye contact with him.

"Why skip?" She asked. The male before her shrugged, "My third and fourth class are not the funnest. Professor Hansor is always on my ass about my attire." He pointed to his shirt, a navy buttoned shirt, three buttons undone that exposed his chest. "He can't really complain, though." He continued, "I always turn in my work and show that I actually do things, I'm just never there."  Karissa smiled once more, this time not as shy. "Well it must not be new information for you, then." She said, "Unluckily, all of this is new to me. And now I'm gonna need 'extra practice' because I'm apparently too strong." Malachi chuckled, "Trust me, the strength is a good thing. People like you, it's important to have some patience. You're from a non-magic life, so you never had time to harness a lot of talents like our peers."

She examined his face, blue eyes piercing into her fragile soul, "Are you one of those people?" She asked. "I was raised by wizards," he said, "so getting the practices I needed didn't come to me till we left Irkah." Karissa's brows raised. Another Irkahn, she thought, he must be quite smart. "Actually," he started, "while I am smart, and I do have a lot of strength with my powers, I am actually quite inexperienced. That's why I'm in the tutoring program with you." Excitement gleamed in her eyes. Malachi laughed, "Adorable.." Her cheeks flushed and she playfully punched his good arm, making the two bust out in laughter.

Malachi offered to walk her to her third class, and as they walked, he gave her a small description of each picture they passed by, or each unusual crack in a wall or window, telling the story of how they'd gotten there. Most of them made Karissa giggle, the stories being something stupid that one of his peers did. She found out that Malachi was in a higher class than her, being two years older than her, and he was a foster like Lorelai, being adopted into a full blooded wizard family. Despite that, he was actually from a very powerful Warlock bloodline. Unfortunately being a bastard, he didn't get to have the opportunities that other Warlock Sons had.

To her, though, he didn't need it. Though they'd only met for a short time, Karissa wanted nothing more than for him to be her best friend, and in her delusions, possibly more than that. They had a lot of things in common; their favorite animals were similar, favorite colors that could paint beautiful sceneries together, and they shared an interest in nature. She hadn't felt this happy with anyone other than Amanda and Lorelai. And best part, this was her first male friend. The first male that didn't comment on her beautiful figure or strange pale skin, only examined it, keeping thoughts to himself and instead struck conversations and shared common interests.

Her happy thoughts and their fun conversation was soon interrupted by annoyance. "Really, M?" A familiar male voice rung in her ears. The two turned to see Tucker walking with another familiar face, June, the smart girl from first class. "What, T?" Malachi asked, "I'm walking with a friend." Tucker chuckled, "That's no friend. She's a Southern." June rolled her eyes at Tucker. Malachi shrugged, "So? She's nice." June then spoke up, "T it's really not a big deal, let your brother do what he wants. She really is nice." Brother? Karissa thought.

"You really know how to kiss ass, June.." Tucker hissed and looked at Karissa, "Listen, newbie, my brother doesn't want you. So if you'll please, don't grind on him too much, you'll just be disappointed." His comment made her eyebrows furrow in disgust. That's not what she wanted at all, "What do you take me for?" She asked, "Some kind of whore? I'll have you know I'm a civilized person, and am sure as hell not looking for whatever is in Malachi's pants." Malachi nodded in agreement.

"Besides," she continued, "he can read minds. Don't you think he would be able to see if I want to fuck him or not?" Tucker made a face, as if he was thinking 'That's true'. "Well," he spoke, "Malachi, does she want to fuck you?" Malachi sighed in annoyance. "No, Tucker," he said, "she doesn't. We're friends. She's a great friend, so I'd appreciate if you showed her a little respect. I love you, dude, but you can be a dick." Tucker smirked, "Alright, M. I'm sorry for disrespecting your lady friend." He looked at Karissa, "Sorry, newbie. I tend to be hard on people from your town. You all just live a quite different lifestyle. It is merely my ignorance and dark humor." Karissa nodded. "I'll forgive you," she said, "as long as you treat my friends and I a little nicer. Us Southerns aren't exactly unusual or anything."

He nodded in agreement, "I got it, snowy." Another nickname that gave her light butterflies. Having it come out of his mouth, she hated the way it felt. She hated his snarky attitude and rudeness, but all of it made her feel something, and she couldn't figure out what it was as him and June walked off. "Come on, Karissa," Malachi smiled down at her as they made eye contact, "You need to get to class." That same feeling came back, and Karissa realized just what it was.

Oh, fuck...