As Alythia slowly pushed her eyes open she heard a gentle voice humming a tune.
She felt herself lying on something soft – like a bed of feathers.
However, as soon as she sat up she noticed that what she had been lying on were not feathers but scales.
She looked at the white Dragon encircling her and thought it quite odd that his scales had been so comfortable and warm.
"You're awake child" it said, still humming its familiar tune.
"Izana... what happened?" Alythia asked, lightly rubbing her eyes.
"Dark magic was used on you, but fear not sweet girl, I have already cleansed your body and removed its impurities from you"
The Dragon looked a little different this time – not as small as last time yet not as big as the time before. It was about her size, though perhaps a tad bit bigger.
As it spoke it was as if Alythia was reminded anew of its immense beauty.
She reached out and gently stroked the scales on the side of the Dragon's neck.
"Izana, you're so beautiful" she murmured "I can't imagine how anyone cannot love you"
He looked at her with tenderness.
"Child, you should not love only that which is beautiful. Just because something is beautiful does not mean that it is good"
Alythia eyed him suspiciously "Can something beautiful ever really be bad?" she asked in disbelief.
The Dragon stared at her for a time before answering "Beauty is not the root of goodness, but merely one of its many fruits. However, sometimes the root of a tree may rot and though the rotting will spread to its fruit it will not do so instantly. It is the same with people. It might take days, weeks, even years for the wickedness of one's heart to spread and so affect their outward beauty – distorting it enough that those around them are finally able to see it"
"Therefore" he continued "focus not on what appears to be beautiful but rather on what is actually good – regardless of its appearance. Just as wickedness takes time to show, so does goodness. One might mistake the bad for the good just as easily as one might mistake the good for the bad".
Alythia thought over his words for awhile, before asking "But Izana, you are actually good aren't you?"
He gently placed his head under her neck so she could rest her chin on him.
"Yes Child, I am good but it is precisely because I am good that some do not want me".
Alythia turned her head to the side so that her cheek was now pressing against the soft scales on the Dragon's forehead. "I don't understand" she mumbled after desperately trying, but failing, to comprehend what he had meant.
"Dear girl" the white beast ventured to explain "because I am good I want to give you what is best but so very often you do not want to receive it since you desire what is easy instead. I want to cleanse you thoroughly but you do not wish for the discomfort that goes along with it. You only want mild-goodness child, but mild-goodness be not goodness at all".
Izana remained silent for a moment before adding "Besides, what you want I cannot even give. I can only give you what I have and there is not even an inch of me that is mildly-good. All of me is completely good, but what am I to do if you will not receive me? What am I to do if you are too filled with your own desires for comfort and ease and there be no more room left in you for me? I can only give my gifts to vessels who are empty enough to receive them".
Alythia lifted her head up and tilted it back so that she was able to see its jet-black eyes "But how do I receive them then?"
"You only need to ask child. I will shower my goodness on those who ask for it BUT when you ask you must also trust that I shall give it. Being trusted is by far the bigger compliment – even bigger than being loved. You trust someone because they have given you a reason to trust them but love is different – many people all around the world continue to love even after the objects of their affection become unlovable".
Izana waited for a moment to make sure Alythia understood what he meant. After she nodded he continued "You see my girl, Love in its purest form is a steady wish for the beloved's ultimate good. Trust, however, is a firm belief that the beloved wishes for your ultimate good. Love then requires you to be good; trust on the other hand requires you to believe that your beloved is good".
The Dragon's gaze intensified, as if its eyes were cutting through her very soul.
"Will you then choose to trust me?"
As Alythia stared back at it a sweet affection bloomed inside her heart "I will" she responded.
The Dragon's eyes lit up, as if it had just received a very precious gift. "Good girl" it said and our pink haired damsel could've sworn she saw something like the corners of its mouth curving up into a smile.
She lay back down and nuzzled into the Dragon's neck as she sensed there was yet more he wanted to say to her.
Sure enough, shortly after putting her head down, Izana spoke again.
"Now then, I must warn you of the dangers to come" he sternly said. "You see child, there is an enemy close to you"
Alythia started feeling sleepy.
"But what do they want?" she asked with a yawn.
The Dragon heaved out a sigh "The same thing the dark arts, and thus everyone influenced by it, has always wanted – to take what is not theirs. What they currently desire is Karlyle's jewel and they are trying to use you to get to it. Take heed child and stay alert. Wolves come in sheep's clothing and even the devil can cover himself in a ray of light – albeit only for a time".
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Alythia heard something about Karlyle so she battled her heavy eyes and opened them once more.
Yet when she did she realized that she was no longer laying on Izana but was now on some unknown bed.
She slowly propped herself onto her elbows and glanced around the room.
It was already night time so the room was fairly dark; however, there was still a dim shimmer of moonlight shining through the window behind her bed.
As she looked around she caught sight of a boy's figure dozing off on a chair next to her.
'I'm guessing Karlyle carried me to the school's infirmary after I fainted' she concluded.
A giggled escaped her lips as she thought about how he had probably refused to leave her side and thus fell asleep right next to her bed.
But her soft laughter clearly woke the boy as she now noticed him stirring.
He tilted his head up, still in a daze, and stared at her for a brief moment. Yet when he realized that she had woken up he instantly pounced her.
His arms tightly encircled her neck and he buried his face into her hair. "I was so worried Tia, when you wouldn't wake up I could've sworn my heart stopped beating"
She could feel his body shaking and gently started to pet his disheveled hair.
After a time he seemed to calm down and slowly pulled back – stopping mere millimeters away from her face.
She cupped his cheek in her hand and pressed her head slightly forward, planting a soft kiss on his lips. "I'm alright, see" she whispered, before attempting to pull away.
However, she felt Karlyle's hand on the back of her head as his lips met hers yet again.
'Wow... he's good at this' she thought, as he continued to kiss her quite fervently.
She raked her fingers through his hair and he became a bit... well... wild.
Alythia liked how it felt, how he smelled, how he tasted...
But just then Karlyle suddenly drew back; it was so abrupt he nearly fell off the bed.
"Ah... sorry... um Tia let's stop... for now... it's getting uh... a little hard... to... resist"
Alythia stared at the boy who seemed like he had just been caught with his hand in a cookie jar before she burst out into a fit of laughter.
"Kai's cute when he's embarrassed" she managed to say in between giggles.
Karlyle smiled at her before making his way back up the bed.
She scooted over to make room for him and he climbed under the covers with her, wrapping his arms around her and pressing her close to his chest.
"So... when will it be okay for Kai to not resist?" Alythia ventured to ask.
She felt his chest vibrate as a soft chuckle resounded in her ears. "Soon" he said "right after we get married".
Alythia turned her eyes to him in shock. "M-M-Married?" she questioned, her expression tainted with disbelief at his sudden proposal.
"Of course" Karlyle responded nonchalantly. "What, does my jewel not wish to marry me?" he playfully asked.
Alythia's face flushed a light pink "T-that's not it... I was just caught off guard is all" she responded, nuzzling her head into his chest in an attempt to hide her flustered expression.
"Ah but I'll propose to you properly right after we graduate, so just wait a little for me till then, okay?"
She gently nodded her head in agreement "but... why are you trying so hard to resist?" she hesitantly asked.
Karlyle tightened his arms around her and she felt a light kiss on top of her head.
"Tia, I'm not cruel" he whispered. "I won't take something from you without first promising to keep it".
He gently stroked her hair before adding "Morality, you know, is like art – one needs to draw the line somewhere"
"But you are planning on marrying me anyway aren't you?" she asked with furrowed brows.
"Hahaha yes I am, but my dear that is another matter entirely. Don't run ahead like that – life doesn't work that way. You do not eat tomorrow's meals today, nor do you wear a thick coat during summer because two months from now winter will arrive. If you are too focused on tomorrow, you won't have enough focus left over to act wisely for today".
And with that he climbed out the bed.
"Let's get you to your room, it's already past midnight" he said while helping Alythia to her feet. "The healers said it might be fatigue"
Alythia however shook her head "It's not that, it was dark magic – Izana said so himself"
"Izana?" Karlyle asked with arched brows. "Ah so you've talked with the Ancient. Well, if he said so then it's most definitely true".
He placed his hand on his chin for a moment, seemingly in deep thought "This is probably related to Kloeye's incident... I'm guessing those same people are still trying to get my crest"
Alythia was baffled.
She was quite impressed with the boy for catching on so quickly, but also equally happy that he had believed her words without even the slightest hint of doubt.
"So Kai also knows Izana?" she asked as they walked down the empty hallway.
"Ah" he nodded "Every Elite will at least meet him once in their life – though some meet him more frequently than others"
"Why?" Alythia questioned.
"I'm not entirely sure" Karlyle replied "But Izana might perhaps say it is because they do not wish to meet with him more. You see, he will always come when he is sincerely called"
As they walked up the stairs to the floor where Alythia's room was she remembered something important "Kai, he also warned me that the enemy was close... what do you think that means?"
Karlyle was quiet for a long time and only spoke as Alythia was busy unlocking her bedroom door.
"We just have to stay vigilant. If he said they were close then we have to assume they might attack at any moment".
He cupped her cheek before planting a soft kiss on her lips. "We'll find them Tia, I promise".
And with that he bid her goodnight and she reluctantly entered her room.
After Karlyle heard her door lock he made his way back to his dorm – vehemently preoccupied with his own thoughts.