The pearls of sweat were already appearing above her eyebrows, they had practiced healing magic for one hour, and now they were busy to learn Lunar Magic. Which appeared to be easy, but her body was starting to fight the feeling it gave her. The magic was not cozy as the Elemental Magic, or cold as Necromancy. But burning hot, another bright white beam left the palm of her hand.
"Nice one Nora, again." Mother Martha said, but Nora shook her head. She couldn't handle another one, her body couldn't handle another one. But Mother Martha looked at her with narrowed eyes. "I know you are almost at the limit, but still I need to see one more." Nora wanted to scream, she those not want to do this anymore. Still she gasped for breath, the magic again started to burn in her veins. This time she did scream out in pain. "Nora stop." Mother Martha said, but Nora blasted out the white beam. And sunk to the ground. Eviar and Mother Martha rushed to her. "I am sorry Nora, I didn't know that you were in pain." Mother Martha's hand glided over her skin.
"It burns, when I use the magic. It burns." Nora said, through her teeth. She didn't want to sound weak, because she was not weak. Eviar looked at his mother.
"What is happening to her? I know that the Lunar magic is unpleasantly hot, but it didn't burn me or Jeffery." Eviar said.
"I think it is because her magic is not in balance yet." Mother Martha said. "She is trained to use primarily Necromancy, which you know is cold magic. So instead of being unpleasant, her body tells her that it is painfully." Nora nodded that made a lot of sense. "It is just like you going under the shower after a long walk in the snow." Eviar sighed.
"That means, that she needs to use it more and more, until her body is used to the heat." Evair said, he clearly didn't like that idea one bit. But Nora was determined to do anything to get stronger. She wanted to be there the next time when Eviar's life was on the line, and this time she wanted to save him. Not to bring him back from the dead.
"I want to do it again." Nora said, but Eviar shook his head. "It is my body, my magic. I need to get through this." She snapped at him and she stood up. The burning magic rushed through her veins once more. She let go of a white beam, and then she tried it again and again. The pearls started to change in a stream, her clothing was socked from her own sweat. But still she kept on going, even when she felt that her energy was all but spend. The burning heat slowly started to change into that unpleasant heat, and still she kept on going.
"Nora that is enough." Mother Martha said, but Nora cast out one last beam and then lowered her hand. Her breath was shallow, and her heart was pounding in her chest. It was indeed enough, even if she wanted to do more, she would collapse and fall into a deep sleep. The Wizards body way to restore the magic without them spending it in the meantime.
"Nora, why in Dragon Lord's name did you do that?" Eviar asked. She looked at him with a thin smile.
"Because I need to be stronger." Nora said and Eviar shook his head.
"Nora, it was not your fault. The car exploded..." Eviar started and she started to tear up.
"And you died. I know what happened Eviar, I dream about it every night. You died and there was nothing I could do about it. Except for watching, crying and bringing you back." She said crying. "I never want to experience that ever again, and that is why I need to push myself in getting stronger." Eviar took her in his arms. "I need to get stronger, I do not want to lose you, again. That one time was more than enough."
"But Nora, if you keep on pushing yourself." He said and whipped away a tear from her cheek. "Then I am the one losing you." She nodded. She already knew that, but still she needed to push herself. "Promise me that you will take it easier. Do not burn yourself out." She wanted to promise him, but she couldn't do that.
"I will try." She could promise him that, and that had to be enough. He nodded and smiled.
********
"Alright that is it, nice work everybody." Mother Martha said. "Tomorrow we're going to do this all again. Only hopefully a bit earlier, then today." She looked at Jeffery and Azeon, who just shrugged. Azeon was holding a sword in his hands, Nora had seen him use it on a dummy while they were practicing their magic.
"Thank you mom." Evair said, while he helped Nora on her feet. She had not left her spot after he had sat her down. It didn't mean that she had stopped practicing, only she had not used as much magic as the others had done.
"I see that I am here just in time." The voice of Andera echoed through the glass building. "I spotted your work through the glass a few times when I walked by. And I can say that I am impressed." Andera stepped on the dusty floor. "I am glad to see that Katia has joined the lot of you. It will be good for her to learn the other types of magic as well." Nora smiled at Katia, whose cheeks started to glow. It seems that Azeon didn't need to convince Andera after all.
"I am sorry if I overstepped, Mistress." Katia said, but Andera shook her head.
"There is nothing to be sorry off. It will be good for you to practice with your brother. It will create a bond between the two of you, one that you have missed all your life." Andera said. And Katia nodded. "I see that Lord Azeon is here as well." Azeon smiled.
"As if aunt Epoa didn't tell you already." Azeon said, and Andera wiggled with her head.
"Maybe she did." Andera said. "She also told me that she has arranged tickets for the opera. For Jeffery and you." Azeon's eyes grow.
"I do not know if Jeffery likes the opera." Azeon said.
"I do not know either. There is only one way to find out." Jeffery replied, Azeon looked at him. "I never being to an opera. I could be fun." Azeon took Jeffery by the hand, Nora smiled when she saw that. She loved to see the two of them together like this. In the honeymoon status of their relationship, there were no fights, no worries what tomorrow might bring. Only the two of them against the world. She looked at Eviar, who also smiled at the two. It was not that long ago when they were in that status, then they had their first fight about his job. And after that... She blinked the tears away.
"It is a date." Azeon said, breaking Nora's dark thoughts.
"Alright, let's go home. I need to prepare diner." Eviar said, and Nora started laughing. Knowing what that meant, he would wear that pink apron again. It will get her at least out of her somber thoughts. Eviar looked at her with narrow eyes. "I know why you are laughing, and it is not funny. When I have time to spare, I will go topside to buy a new apron."
"What is wrong with the one you have now?" Azeon asked, Jeffery started to laugh.
"You will see." Jeffery replied, and he indeed saw what was wrong with Evair's apron.
"Oh." Azeon said, while he tried to hold in his laughter. "I see why you want to buy another. I take it that you are not a fan of cats, or pink?"
"Oh I love cats, and the color pink. I do not like the combination of it." Eviar said with a smirk. "I take it that you are staying for diner?" Azeon looked around.
"If you will have me." Azeon asked. Eviar looked at Nora and gave her a wink. She was not sure what he was going to do, but he was asking her to let him do it. She gave him a small nod and lay her hand on Jeffery's arm.
"I do not know, lord Azeon. I do not know if you are worthy of my little brother's love. All I know is that he is in love with you, and know this, I do not care that you are a dragon. I do not care if your aunt is the Dragon King of this Kingdom. If you so much cause a dent in his heart, I will hunt you down to the end of this earth." Evair said, pointing his finger at Azeon. It was a funny picture when he was doing the stern big brother routine in that apron. Jeffery looked at Nora.
"What is he doing?" Jeffrey asked her.
"Making sure he plays the big bro part. Somebody needs to do it." Nora said and Jeffrey looked with wide eyes at Eviar. Nora focused on Azeon, who simply nodded.
"But that is not all." Eviar said, and he moved his finger and attention to Jeffery. "If I notice you doing the same thing to him."
"I will be burned to a crisp, before I blink my eyes." Jeffery finished his threat. Eviar nodded and sighed.
"So I am going to ask you again, lord Azeon. Are you staying for dinner."
