Rise of the Strongest Soul Mage

Chapter 10 Creepy

His dreams were always the same.

It always started with him walking into one of the Ivy training rooms only to see an exact replica of himself training intensely. Mage energy flowed ceaselessly through his entire body as he summoned water from the air and try to hold it in place as it grew in size. It grew bigger but his body would ache all over in return and his clothes drenched in sweat, from having to release so much energy at once.

He would stop to rest and even out his breaths, but after resuming his training, nothing would flow out of him. Not a drop of energy flowed even after trying over and over. He would watch himself panic and grow scared from the fear of being powerless.

Every single time he dreamed, it was the same and no matter how much he yelled at himself to not take a break and just push through till the end, or take things easy, slow and steady, he didn't seem to hear or notice anyone speaking to him. He always took a break and had the same result every time.

Frustration and anger would take over both images and that anger would explode into nothingness. He would jolt out of sleep at the exact time of explosion all covered in sweat.

Sora woke up breathing hard. He was never able to speak of his dreams, even with Ryo. They haunted him in more ways than he could ever express and he knew words would fail him if he tried.

It was barely dawn when Sora woke up.

His eyes were wide open and they burned from the insides. He knew trying to go back to sleep would be impossible so he sat up in bed for a few seconds before getting up.

The lights were off and he let it stay that way and walked to his bathroom blindly. He tried opening the door but it was already open. He questioned whether or not he locked the door before going to bed but didn't make anything of it until he switched on the bathroom lights.

"Shit!" Sora stepped backwards abruptly making him lose balance and fall to the ground.

"What?"

"How did you get—" He was in the middle of his sentence when it dawned on him "You picked my lock again didn't you?"

"Yes" he replied sounding completely unbothered

His flat tone vexed Sora more. "Ryo!"

"What? I wonder why you still get shocked. You should be used to it by now."

"I should be used to waking up to find someone in my room?"

"Not someone, me. You should be used to finding me in your room."

"How long have you been here?"

"I'm most sure but it's been a while. I watched you sleep."

Sora put his hand to his forehead and ran his hand through his hair. "Ryo, you've got to stop doing this. I will really pass out one day."

Ryo moved closer to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I told you, we have the best Healers, you'll be back to normal in no time if you pass out." Ryo glanced at Sora's shirt "But it looks like you already had a heart attack in your sleep."

"What?"

"You're soaked in sweat and judging from the way you jolted out of sleep, something is definitely wrong."

"I'm fine."

"You were breathing hard."

"Heat" Sora replied quickly trying to wrap up the conversation

Ryo stared intensely at Sora, from one eye to the other. The weather in Namyrs had been harsh making everyone dorn their cloaks at all times. He knew he was lying but he decided not to push it. "Alright, if you say so."

Ryo walked past Sora and headed for a chair. Sora washed up and dried his face before heading back into the room.

"Why are you here anyways?"

Ryo adjusted in his seat. "Things got crazy at midnight."

"How come?"

"We found another body."

"What! Where?"

"Close to the Hunters area."

"The Hunters' area? Shouldn't that be the most secure place in all of Ivy?"

"It is, which makes the whole thing more alarming."

"This is crazy."

Sora wondered how unsafe the Ivy really was now. If a soul eater could have taken someone close to the Hunters' area unnoticed, nowhere was safe.

"These attacks seem very calculated. It keeps attacking and it's sure to not get caught. This is the Ivy, the most secure place in Namyrs that every soul eater fears but it's still staying. It's definitely after something."

"We think so too, but what?" Ryo replied.

Sora stood wondering, what would such an intelligent soul eater really want from the Ivy?

"Hold on, shouldn't you be there, I mean with the Hunters?"

"I was there for a meeting but I came here immediately after."

Sora seemed confused. "Why? Wouldn't the Hunters want to intensify security?"

"They would need as many Hunters as they can get."

Ryo moved from his seat and began to fix Sora's bed. "You were alone."

"Okayyy?" Sora was expecting a more detailed response.

"You were alone, by yourself, unprotected."

Sora felt the strings on his heart pull and water hit the back of his eyes. He tried speaking but his voice broke. After a while, he spoke; "You know I am surrounded by other mages right?"

Ryo finally got into bed and covered up. "I had to be sure."

Sora stood watching Ryo as he shut his eyes to sleep.

"Sora?" Ryo called out with his eyes still shut.

He cleared his throat "Yes?"

"You have a snoring problem, you should look into it."

"I don't have a snoring problem." Sora retorted sharply.

"I have watched you sleep. I know."

"You realize that just sounds totally creepy, right?"

"Whatever."

Ryo took the sheets and dragged them over his head to end the discussion.