Haaa... What can I say?.. Just it's summer people!

Anyway back to small chapters.

Chapter 27. Attention.

'Ahhh... Years of work and I couldn't even enjoy those delicious fruits of all that labor because of some stupid brat...' A bit angry I start thinking about the punishment I will give to my little sister, as I leave the stage giving a few waves to the crowd.

But my train of thought is disrupted by what I notice ahead of me.

"Huh?" Suddenly I exclaim surprised, as I'm approaching my classmates gathered at the end of the stairs.

'Haa... This is going to be tough.' I think, pretty much guessing what's going to happen.

The moment I get closer to them my fears come to life as I'm immediately flooded by shouts of congratulations.

"Um... Thanks." I say in a pretty meek voice, because for some reason standing here in front of them is more pressuring for me than back there on the stage.

What’s worse is that they are trying to shout over each other, so my eyes are darting back and forth uncontrollably between them.

'Dammit people! Can't you speak one at the time?' I almost scream in my head while trying to nod, showing my gratitude, to everyone around.

Don’t get me wrong. I got nothing against being praised and hailed by others but there are limits to everything.

Luckily for me the wave of congratulations starts to dwindle down. And as I finally begin to breathe more easily hoping, that this is over, an attack of questions hits me in full force.

“Wow! How did you reach such level?” I hear some boy asking.

“What does the title of ‘shadow killer’ mean and what did you do to get it?” Inquires a girl’s voice.

And many similar questions keep on coming one after another.

‘Huh? Where is Elise?’ A thought runs through my mind as I remember that I still didn’t see her.

Since I’m mostly surrounded by girls, which are already taller than me, my view of what’s further ahead is blocked. So I climb up two steps back on the stairs, where I have been ambushed, to look over their heads.

Finally I notice her standing all alone again about 50 meters from where I am.

‘Something's not right.’ I think as I see her looking at me with a really serious expression.

I lift my right hand and wave to her, but she just takes a deep breath, shakes her head, which appears to be directed more to herself than to me, and after turning around walks away.

‘Something's really not right!’ I add now becoming really worried.

So I immediately rush down the stairs and into the wall of people. Some noticing my action ask: “What happened?”, but I don’t say anything and simply keep on moving forward.

Even thought they try to make a path for me, it still takes a minute or two before I’m through and by that time she is already gone.

I look around trying to figure out where Elise might have went and while my mind is focused on this task, I hear a rough voice from behind.

“Asger Haralson.”

So I turn my neck to look back and I see a man standing there. His face is carved in wrinkles and all of his hair has already turned grey, but strangely the body itself remained untouched by time as if it was still in its prime - rippling with muscles.

Behind him stood two women which like the man in front of them have already reached the autumn of their life. Judging by a few wrinkles chiseling at their faces.

The first one is a tall warrior, more than a head taller than me, who have seen countless battles, all recorded in the scars painting her body.

The other one is a complete opposite with her slender and shorter body, which is still quite nicely curved, if I had to add. But the most intricate detail about her is hair, which is still white as snow.

‘The time is really merciful here in North…’ I think as I see these three grandpa’s standing in front of me, knowing that each of them is easily more than a few hundred years old.

“Chief?” From my voice it is easy to tell that I’m a bit surprised.

“I want to talk with you. Do you have a moment?” He says in his imposing tone.

I give one last glance to where I last saw Elise and after thinking for a few seconds I finally say: “Fine…”

“It’s quite loud out here. If we want to have a decent conversation, we should move somewhere quieter.”

Suddenly I point out Jodis, if I remember her name correctly.

“Good idea! Let’s go to our house and chat over a cup of tea.” Says Gerd sounding a bit excited to me.

Since I got nothing in particular to do, nor I have to be somewhere, I agreed to their offer.

About 20 minutes later we were already sitting around the dinning table at the chief house with four steaming hot cups of tea in front of us.

“Asger…” After saying my name chief got silent once more, as if not really knowing what to say or ask.

I used this moment to take a sip of tea.

‘Ugh… Yeah… I don’t like it. How can they enjoy this muck…’ I think having a bitter taste in my mouth, which I try to hide as much as I can.

“Haa... I will be blunt with you. How the heck did you learn magic?” Finally after pondering for a few moments the chief continues.

“So you want to hear my story…” I say wondering where to start.

“Yes! Yes! Tell us everything.” Says Gerd showing her excitement.

“Well… It all started back then…” I begin my story from the day I went to hunt rats.

As I’m recounting what I have been doing up until now, I notice two very different reactions. While Gerd is almost all the time nodding her head and even giving words of praise, town chief and Jodis on the other hand are staying silent with an expressions of disbelief.

“… and currently I’m training my control over the skill.” Finally my tale comes to an end.

“Ha, ha, ha… You are truly something, Asger. Being able to achieve all this on your own…” Gerd keeps on praising me.

“*Cough* Yes… That is something hardly believable…” Says chief still in a serious voice.

“Haaa… To tell you the truth, magic always amazed me and today for a moment I thought that I will have a chance to learn one or two tricks before I go to meet those who left before me. ” He adds now in a somewhat softer voice.

“Huh? What are you saying? The boy sitting in front of us is a living proof that it is possible.” Says Gerd looking at chief.

“Ha, ha, ha… Gerd, this is not for us.” Suddenly interjects Jodis while shaking her head a bit.

“We are warriors born to fight. Hard battles is what excite us and makes our blood boil, while death is just an old friend, who will we all meet one day.” She adds with a somewhat distant look.

“But…” Gerd tries to say something.

“Listen, dear. If I had to waste years by sitting and learning magic, I would go completely mad. So the things this boy told are impossible at least for me and I’m guessing for quite a number of Northmen.” Explains chief.

“Mhm… I guess you are right. But still there might be few who will be interested. So tomorrow morning I will travel to that cave and inspect everything.” After thinking for a bit says Gerd.

“Umm… Sorry to interrupt but I told everything, so if you don’t need anything more from me, I will take my leave.” I suddenly speak noticing that my presence is not needed here anymore.

“No, that will be all.” Says chief.

“But you hardly touched your tea.” Says Gerd noticing a full cup in front of me.

‘Damn it! She just had to remember that muck.’ I mutter in my mind, while saying with a smile: “Oh! Right!”

So I stand up, grab that damn cup and gulp down everything in one go.

“Goodbye!” I say with a slight nod of my head.

Without waiting for anything more I turn around and walk towards the door.

“What an interesting kid.” I hear Jodis’ voice behind me while I’m stepping out of the house.

But I hardly pay attention to it, since I’m only thinking about one thing: ‘Water! Water! Water!’ While storming out of the house with my face twisted by anguish, as tears are forming in the corners of my eyes.

****

‘Maybe I did something that offended her?’ I'm wondering about Elise’s actions yesterday.

‘Ahhh! If only I had a chance to talk with her…’ In the corners of my mind I'm blaming myself for not being able to find her.

“Haaa…” I make a deep sigh.

I have been racking my brain about what happened for the past hour, from the moment I woke up.

Trying to put Elise out of my mind I turn over in my bed and look through the window at the sky, where I see how the first faint beams of morning light push away the darkness of the night.

“Well… I believe it’s time to repay my dept.” I whisper silently to myself.

I slowly get up from my bed and take a look towards my sweet little sister. Noticing that she is still sound asleep I, as silently as I can, walk to the corner with a chest.

Trying not to make any loud noises with slow movement I open the chest and pull out a bucket full of water, which I stored in there before going to bed.

Still in slow movement I pick it up, close the chest and walk to her bed.

‘Don’t take it personally I’m just repaying my debt.’ I think, while standing in front of her with a big grin on my face.

Not waiting for anything else I grab the bucket with both of my hands and throw all that water on her.

The moment her eyes dart open I shout: “BOOOHOOO!!! To you too, my dear Ingvil!” And immediately I rush towards the door, with the bucket still in my hands.

“You… You…” Ingvil tries to say something, while sitting in her bed, dripping wet.

‘I guess she was caught by surprise. He, he..’ I think with a blissful smile painting my face.

Finally as I’m already climbing down the stairs I hear her shout: “ASSSSHOLEEE!!!!”

'Ahh... Truly a moment to savor...'

== End of chapter 27 ==

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...............................................................Thank you for your support!............................................................

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bludvein - thx for answering many questions that I was lazy to