Those whom are born from the cold abyss do not know fear because they have no hope. Is it from this point that hope gives rise to fear? When there is nothing to gain nor lose, there is nothing to fear. As comforting as that logic can be, it is impossible to be without hope and still be content. From my hopes, I find the true terror of fear, and now, I'm afraid of death.
"Is this what it's like to be dead?" I mused.
A gentle warmth flowed over my body. It was relaxing and eased my mind. Gradually, my eyes opened, and I saw the Professor sitting next to me.
"Are you awake now?" she greeted.
"I'm... not dead?" I asked from my muddled state.
"Pretty close, but not quite," the Professor replied, "You're pretty hard to get rid of."
With a shy laugh, I tried to sit upright. I guess the Professor healed my wounds since I was unlikely to have remained uninjured after what I went through. Grasping my head to calm a resounding headache, I looked around at where I was.
"We're still in the library," the Professor explained, "This is the basement floor. You had quite the fall, considering the shelf's height."
From the jumble of confused concerns, I asked, "What about the intruder?"
With a faint sigh, the Professor mused, "She went on ahead, I suppose."
"Then shouldn't we go after her?" I pressed.
"Actually, we're needed elsewhere," the Professor remarked to my increased confusion.
Seeking clarity, I demanded, "Where else would we be needed if not-"
"It seems there's a commotion at the gate," the Professor interrupted, "It will be problematic if it isn't resolved soon."
It was unlikely for a problem to arise at the main gate, but if the Professor said that there's a problem, I'll believe her. Rising to my feet, I confirmed my orders, "I should go the front gate and assist in resolving the commotion?"
"Yes," the Professor acknowledged, "I'll be along shortly as well."
"Understood," I confirmed.
It was only natural for the Professor to stay behind and rest a while longer. It must have been exhausting to heal my not-quite-dead carcass back to functioning condition. Concentrating my magic, I shifted myself to the main entryway.
My shift magic was a bit strange. What happened was I disappear from existence and then return as if nothing had happened. It differed slightly from teleporting in that I wasn't really moving from one point to another. I stopped existing and then returned into existence someplace else; I guess it's a little hard to explain.
My magic could affect nearby things as well, but it's a lot harder. So far, nothing major happened when the magic failed, which was bizarre. At any rate, the Professor wanted me to practice using it so I shall.
After arriving at the entryway, I headed out the main doors and reached the front gardens where I called out, "Meli!"
"How many times must I tell you not to call me that, Sol?" she chided without looking my way.
"What's going on here?" I asked as I surveyed the area.
With fleeting thought, she replied, "Battle erupted between the faeries of the lake and our faerie maids."
"Why?" I pondered, "It doesn't make sense."
"The faeries are really after one of the intruders inside, but since I denied them entry..."
Catching ear of a particularity, I interrupted, "'Intruders'? As in more then one?"
"They were chasing after the one in black," Meiling confirmed.
Feeling my heart skip a beat, I shyly asked, "With the bright blast-thing?"
"Yes," she plainly confirmed.
"Well," shrugging off my shiver, I returned my thoughts to my instruction, "We need to get things under control before the Professor gets here."
Taking surprise from my remark, Meiling asked, "Patchouli is helping as well?"
"In a little bit," I affirmed, "Until then, we'll have to make do."
"Very well then," Meiling acknowledged. After returning her gaze past the gardens, she continued, "Over by the gate is a blue ice faerie named Cirno. She is their leader, and unfortunately, I cannot even touch her."
I was startled to hear of a creature that Meiling couldn't beat. Blankly, I stated my doubt, "Is she really that strong?"
Reconsidering her remark, Meiling explained, "No, she freezes whatever she touches so I am unable to touch her."
"Oh...," I murmured. It was a bit disappointing but also very reassuring to hear that explanation. Striking up my initiative, I offered, "Well, I'll handle her then."
"Are you sure?" Meiling questioned doubtingly, "You do not seem to be in any fighting condition."
After reexamining myself, I noticed that my clothes were in tatters. Cuffs, collar, and a string of buttons were all that was left of my chemise while half of my dress was missing entirely. It was only fitting considering what I went through.
Shrugging off the complaint, I explained, "I just didn't have time to change is all. I'm fine, really."
Even if it was a weak sounding excuse, there was nothing more Meiling could say about it. We agreed on an approach and set forth to stave off the faerie assault.
Charging into the maelstrom, Meiling drove apart the faerie mass and gave me an opening to rush at the leader, Cirno. As I closed her flank, I fired out a magic barrage and chased her movements. Driving her away from the mass of faeries, I continued my assault and kept close watch over her movements.
It wasn't like she was a master fighter or anything, but she was an abnormally persistent faerie. As my magic pinned her, she shot back and tried to scurry by. I would shoot at her again and she would shoot back while moving in a different direction. This bizarre exchange continued for a while.
"You!" she called, having reached the limits of her patience; the faerie declared, "You're in my way!"
"Am I?" I questioned playfully.
"Do you want me to hurt you, too?" she asked as she fumed with anger.
Gesturing a thinking pose, I remarked, "Hm, may-be..."
"Then, eat this!" she retorted.
As I wondered what she would do, she revealed a spell card. I was shocked since I can't even get one to work right. Then, again, that was probably the reason why she was made leader.
"Hail Sign: Hailstorm!"
With a cold burst of air, numerous rows of ice formed around her and began to drift about. As I tried to keep from being enclosed by ice, I made an effort to clear away the shards. To my amazement, the icicles defused my magic and kept driving by.
"So this is what a spell card is like?"
Meandering through the cold and ice, I found the difference in power to be disheartening, "To think that a faerie could be this much stronger that I am."
As the storm receded to a calm, I was trying my best to keep warm, "May-be this was-sn't s-such a good idea, after all?"
"Cold already? I'm just getting started," with an ever widening grin, the summer's bane unveiled another spell card, "Snow Sign: Diamond Blizzard!"
In my shock, I asked a redundant question, "Exactly how many spell cards do you have?!"
"How many? Um, I don't know. Hmm..."
"Wait, she's seriously pondering how many she has?"
As Cirno's concentration drifted from the fight, her Diamond Blizzard lessened into a gentle flurry. It was so harmless, I almost cried. With a new plan in mind, I smiled as I murmured, "Maybe this won't be so bad after all."
Recollecting my composure, I interrupted her concentration, "Ah, excuse me. Are you, by chance, Cirno?"
Startled, she asked, "Huh? How'd you know my name?"
I cried while feigning excitement, "Oh my! You really are Cirno! It's so exciting!"
"What's so exciting?" she asked confusingly.
Portending a shyness within, I answered, "I'm not sure if you've heard, but your very powerful."
"I-I guess that's true. I am, aren't I?" she casually agreed. It seemed as though she was blushing. I couldn't believe how gullible she was.
Continuing my act, I hesitantly murmured, "Well, I was wondering if it was at all possible for you to, maybe, that is to say..."
"...yeah?" she pressed anxiously.
Breaking away to reel her in, I mutter in reply, "N-no, I-I shouldn't be bothering you like this. I'm so sorry."
Showing her curiosity, she continued to press, "What? What is it?"
"Are you sure I can ask you?" I quietly ask.
"Go ahead, already," she plainly demanded, "I'm in a good mood right now."
Finding the first phase of my plan successful, I assessed my options. Deciding on a roundabout approach, I hesitantly stated, "Well, it just so happens that I heard that you are very skilled at freezing things. Um, is it true?"
"Of course, it is!" she replied as though it was obvious, "It's my specialty to freeze frogs."
"Wow! That's so amazing!" I openly mused for effect. Following a momentary pause, I continued, "Um, I was wondering, if you could, maybe..."
"'Maybe'...?" she parroted with eagerness.
"... maybe... freeze one?" I requested, "Especially for me?"
"Um," thinking on the sudden request, she replied, "Sure!"
"Re-really?" I stammered.
Nodding at my question, she remarked, "Yeah, I can freeze one real quick."
Moving her directive accordingly, I informed her, "I heard that there are rare frogs near the northern river bank. You should try to get one of those. I'm sure you'll be able to."
"What's so great about those?" she questioned doubtingly.
Pressed for a reply, I offered as an answer, "Well, they're the kinds you can only find at night. That makes them very rare, right?"
"And you want me to go and freeze one of those for you?" she asked as if interrogating me.
Feeling pressured from her tone, I tried to defuse the situation with an outcry, "Oh, I knew I shouldn't have bothered you. I'm sure you don't want to." Glancing shyly back and forth, I hesitantly muttered, "It's just..."
"Huh?" she asked having caught ear of my subdued remark, "What is it?"
"It's just," continuing with my previous remark, I explain, "I've always thought that you were amazing."
With a confident stance, she affirmed, "I am amazing!"
"Then, you'll do it?" I pressed so as to not lose the moment.
"Yeah! I'll go right now!" she replied.
Without even stopping to consider what happened, Cirno left for the river's northern bank. That took some time, but she probably won't be back for a while.
Content with the results, I mused, "Guess I'll go help at the gate."