Darkness tolled and Isla could sense the hand creeping up her back. Another day, one step closer to the inevitable. Magic—a once saving grace, transformed into a death spiral she knew would come haunting, and soon.
The bounce between mastery of inscription interactions and secondary effects had her scouring for breathing room. Her seal required too many variables to work in perfect harmony. Forget increasing the strength, her current configuration met a dead end. One addition or subtraction created pandemonium. And one didn't experiment when the medium for the seal was your own body.
Isla yawned and dropped the book on magic absorption into her lap. Her gaze wandered the small enclave scattered with multi-colored stacks of literature. Her surroundings were a small comfort to hinder the vision of prying eyes.
A heavy knock on the entrance's supporting beam ruptured the hold's magic barrier. Rein intruded the room's space, attracting her attention. He leaned against the pillar and crossed his arms, his short-sleeved shirt showing off his biceps. Armored and equipped with a sword, he emulated a battle-ready soldier.
"How's the research going?" he mused, his eyes dancing beneath the enclave's starry light fixture.
Isla shifted, placing her hands on the seat's leather arms and leaning into the high back. "Fine. What do you want?"
Rein chuckled. "Why do you assume I want something? Ah, that's right, I'm empty. Without you, I was lost." He skidded forward, dropping to his knees. "Be my light in the dark, Isla."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why are you disgusting?"
"I was born this way," Rein retorted while adding a wink. He rose to his feet with the metal poleyn scraping against the stone floor.
"I thought after all these years you'd grow up." Isla sighed at her own comment.
"Nonsense. Don't you know me by now?"
"Sometimes I question that."
"Don't we all," he mumbled. His spirited gaze mellowed to cowardice, and he sighed, the sound sapping the energy from the room.
An imposter looked at her. Who was he? This man, though similar in appearance, was not Rein. No, this man was a full-fledged gutless fraud, scarred by the lands he occupied. The day's light abandoned him. He was beaten and lost.
She frowned, watching him change from one persona to the next. He turned away, picking up a book, flipping through the pages.
"Isla, do you know where the beginner's guides to control are?" Rydin asked as he rounded the corner into the small enclave.
She glanced at him around Rein's strong build. "Second library, on the ground floor, back left."
Rein snickered and returned the book to a stack.
Isla glared at him. "What?"
"Expert already."
"It isn't hard," she retorted while rising to her feet. "Rydin, follow me. I'll show you."
He stepped aside, letting Isla take the lead. She moved down the aisle with both Rein and Rydin trailing behind.
"Who's the kid?" Rein questioned.
"Rydin's the name," he interjected.
"Isla."
She halted and swung around to face him. Their eyes clashed. Her calm and scrutinizing outlook versus his aloof but sincere. Still, his gaze couldn't conceal the hard glint dwelling within.
"Rein." Isla raised her eyebrows at him. She knew the question he raised: why did she let Rydin stay beside her?
"Are you sure?" His voice was soft and delicate.
"What's your problem? This isn't like you."
He chuckled while sending a hand through his hair. The strands molding back against his scalp before returning to shape. "Guess my age is getting to me. I can't help but worry over the little things. Who knows what kind of people are attaching themselves to you."
"The same can be said about you, wouldn't you say?"
"True, but I'm likable."
"And I'm not?" Rydin interrupted. His lips forming a flat line.
Isla rolled her eyes and returned her due course down the aisle. "Neither of you are," she chided.
"Let's be fair, Isla. We both know how ecstatic you were to see me again. Don't hide it now. If you truly didn't care, you'd have ignored me when I called your name, or you would've gone all girly defensive. Admit it, I'm a keeper."
Rydin laughed behind her. "He has a point," he commented.
She growled. "What the hell did you come here for? If you have no business with me, then leave."
"Ouch, my feelings."
"Maybe you should take lessons on how to keep your mouth shut."
"My mouth calls to beautiful women," Rein remarked.
"Ah, I'm at fault for that too. Sorry about earlier Isla," Rydin added, diverting the conversation's flow.
Isla stopped mid-step from Rydin's response. The fire burning in her stomach cooled to a simmer as Rein's words became trivial. She refused to glance at Rydin's sullen form. "Stop that."
"I shouldn't have..."
Footsteps shuffled, and a bang sounded behind her. Instantly, Isla turned, staring wide-eyed at Rein who pinned Rydin against the wall. Rydin hacked from the sudden whiplash. With Rein's strength, Rydin rose off the ground as he wrestled with his grip.
"What the hell did you do?" Rein snarled.
Isla rushed to his side, grasping his arm. "Rein, release him."
"Let me go," Rydin squealed, thrashing against Rein.
Rein refused to release him, instead shook him harder, rattling Rydin's entire frame. "Tell me. What did you do?" he continued undaunted by Isla's grip.
"Rein," Isla called again. "Let him go."
Without a second thought, Isla sent a burst of aura to her leg. The energy surged from center to foot, spurring a turbulent wave of adrenaline and plummeting the temperature of her body. She visualized reinforcing each muscle fiber and transmuting the soft tissue into iron. Shifting her weight, she besieged Rein's rear calf with the explosive power.
Her leg connected, but she felt no pain or discomfort. Instead, Rein crumpled to the ground with Rydin alongside him.
"Shit," Rein muttered with his back hunched.
"Idiot." Isla smacked Rein's head and sighed. "Rydin, you okay?"
He coughed but nodded his head. Both his cheeks were a pale white and his eyes lacked focus.
Rein rose from the ground with the wall's support, his legs trembling. He grabbed Isla's shoulder once before moving towards the stairs.
His touch had held warmth. Though he grew distant with each step, the heat remained behind, thriving on his absence. His rigid back and teetering body descended the steps. One moment more, and he was gone. The fever burning across her body dimmed and died.
"What's his problem?" Rydin croaked.
Isla brushed a hand through her hair, lingering with emptiness staring back. "Who knows."
A/N: Another much needed thank you to @Limnias for their support. Sorry for the slow chapter, next one should be better!