Beyond?

“The Eddin, while not having much fighting power of their own, are the best healers in Nict. They are naturals at curing and healing magic. The most horrible wounds can be melded back together within minutes. Though it has to be said that they can't bring back the dead.

That's the reason for their rise in power. Of course they don't offer their exceptional skills for free and someone should always have enough money in his pockets if he intends to get hurt.”

-Visor Ellenoy, Visitor of the great healing house in Penta

***Free City States of Nict, Capital***

***Azir***

I yawn and step out of the research facility. It sucks that some classes still require the student's presence. Taking only the tests is much more to my liking.

“One! Two! One! Two!” “Run faster!” “She is still breathing!”

I blink. Just now a group from the healer's faculty ran past me. Two of them were levitating a female student on a stretcher. The face was too beaten up to be recognizable, but I knew the orange hair. It had to be Olivia.

One of Olivia's horns was broken off and stuck in her chest instead. Her tail was bent in an unhealthy looking angle. My eyes wander to the ground and I inspect the trail of blood which was left behind by their passing.

“Azir?”

The two who carried her were accompanied by three healers. One of them was carrying an arm and another had a bottle in his hands with an eyeball swimming inside.

“Azir?”

Strange... Olivia didn't challenge me to a duel. So why is she hurt? Did I do something while I was sleeping? Now that would be a frightening development. I know that I have a temper, but I didn't think that it was that bad already.

Uh... no. I am still sleepy. I shouldn't overthink the situation.

“Azir?”

I look up from the trail of blood and find Stella in front of me. “I think, I just saw something strange. Was that Olivia?”

Stella tilts her head. “Yeah. I found her in the park. She was in a very bad state, so I called some healers.”

“Oooh. You are generous. I never call the healers after I beat her up.” I nod and smile. “Wait, has this something to do with the missing people?”

“Errr... It just looked like she wouldn't last much longer. So I decided to bite into the sour apple. And I just found her, so I don't know anything.” Stella pulls a grimace. “Actually I wanted to inform you that I'll be gone for a day or two.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Well. It's not like I want to intrude, but can I know what you'll be doing?”

Stella's expression lights up into a dazzling smile. “Family matters. My father is coming home after a long time and I want to spend some time with him.”

“Hmm. I could use this to introduce myself. You still didn't tell me where you live.” I scratch my chin. “It's a little embarrassing that I don't know where to find you, besides university.”

Stella hugs me. “I'll show you some other time. I meant it when I said that I want to spend some time with my father. Alone.”

“You really don't see him often? It's okay. Have a nice time then.” I nod and Stella lets go of me.

“Thanks. I'll be back.” She turns and leaves me behind.

Hmm. Actually I still want to know where she lives. Is she too embarrassed to show me? I know that it's stalking, but following her to find out may be interesting?

Stella turns around a corner and I start moving, following her quickly. But upon arriving at the corner myself I find her gone.

Gone?

I look up into the sky. No, she didn't fly. Then around the next corner? I walk with fast steps around the building, but no sign of Stella. “Now that can't be? How can someone vanish into thin air?”

Casting levitation magic I glide upwards while I take a look over the entire area. Hm. Nothing I can do about it now. She must have been in a hurry.

My thoughts return to Olivia. I don't really care what happened to her, but I might as well investigate. If something dangerous is going on I want to know about it before something bad happens to my friends.

Lets see. I think the healer's faculty was in that direction. I fly there in a relaxed manner while I enjoy the view from above. A few other mages are also using one or the other method to fly from point A to point B. But there aren't enough people, who are capable of such a feat, to cause traffic problems.

I land in front of the big building, which is used by the healers, and step inside. A short talk with the receptionist at the entrance guides me to the right room.

Inside I find Olivia on a bed. Talia and Karsen, Mr. Pendragon and a guy in a very expensive looking dress are surrounding her. All of them turn towards me as I enter.

Mr. Pendragon has a few classes at the university too, so his presence isn't that strange. Though I still want to know why he is here? His greying hair looks a little messed up and his two straight horns look similar to Olivia. Don't tell me that he is actually a relative?

Talia wears her brown hair in a pigtail. Her horns form two crescents, which are pointing backwards from her forehead. She has the same height as me and her eyes always look a little sleepy because they are slightly angled. Nonetheless, it's not making her look bad. It... fits her type. That's the right way to say it. She waves her hand at me.

Karsen wears his blonde hair a little longer than me. His facial features became harder with time, but there is still a childish touch to them. His horns run straight forward from his head and take a sharp turn backwards. He gives me a nod.

I think Louise mentioned that they were here. Probably they saw Olivia carried in on a stretcher and became curious. Wasn't Karsen's horn supposed to be broken off? The healers did a fine job in reattaching it.

“Now, who have we here?” ExpensiveGuy looks expectantly at me while scribbling something into his notebook, he doesn't even look down while doing so. He is about thirty and his face looks like he is an evildoer. I can't describe it in any other way. His horns fan out into three staggered spikes above his head. “I am Ryland, chief investigator for all strange events on university grounds. Don't concern yourself with them. I just interviewed them because they seemed to know her.” He gestures at Karsen and Talia.

I step closer. “Azir Zait. I just wanted to take a look at my self proclaimed rival.” I take a peek at Olivia, who is just staring upwards at the ceiling while holding with both hands onto her bedsheets. “Looks like they put her back together.”

“So you knew about what happened? Did you see something?” Ryland looks me over from head to toe. “I heard that the two of you injured each other frequently?”

Raising a finger, I correct his information. “That's wrong. The one who got injured was always her.” I point at Olivia, who is still staring at the ceiling. “What's wrong with her?”

“She doesn't react. The healers don't know what's wrong.” Mr. Pendragon answers a little devastated.

Ryland mumbles and takes a look at his notes. “The healers said that someone brought her very skilfully to the brink of death while avoiding killing her. According to them, it had to be done by someone who is very knowledgeable in the field of anatomy.”

I walk up to Olivia and poke her cheek with my finger. “Shock? Someone mistook her for a puzzle after all.” No reaction. “Should I wake her up?”

“You can?” Pendragon looks at me hopefully. Ryland's expression is doubtful. “Why should you succeed where the healers failed?”

“Why?” Because I am an evil practitioner of the dark arts? “Because I am a prodigy?” Because I am an evil summoned demon from another world? “And because I probably know more about magic than all my teachers together?”

I wriggle my fingers in front of me. “First step. Shock treatment. Just to confirm her status!” I concentrate mana in my fingertips and focus on creating two rotating poles of power. A spark starts to flicker between my index finger and my thumb.

Without hesitation I ram my hand into Olivia's side, who shudders under the electrical current.

“KYAAA!” She sits up, panting, looking left and right with wide eyes.

I grumble. “Aw... how boring. And I thought I could do some of the more advanced stuff to her.”

“Olivia!” Pendragon hugs Olivia from the side. So he really is a relative? Uncle? Too old to be her father.

Ryland steps up to Olivia. “Do you know what happened to you?”

“Of course! That bitch...” Her eyes widen and she holds both hands in front of her mouth. Then she looks around once again. Looking at Pendragon, Talia, Karsen, Ryland and me, her eyes widen for a second. “... found me.”

Then she seems to calm down and clears her throat. “I don't remember.”

Ryland stops scribbling and looks up. “What do you mean? You don't remember.”

“What I said. I don't remember. I was walking in the park and then I woke up here. What happened?” Olivia shakes her head.

“You just said that someone found you? So you remember at least something.” Ryland points with his pencil at Olivia.

She tilts her head. “Yes, I remember waking up and everything was hurting. That commoner bitch Stella was leaning above me. Then she ran off, calling for help.” Olivia nods while focusing on her bed sheets.

“Hmmm. I already talked to that one. Please refer to people by their names when speaking to me in future.” Ryland returns to his scribbling. “You can all go now. The victim needs some rest and I don't need you here.”

.