As she consoled him, she wondered what events could've possibly happened for him to be cursed. In her arms, he just felt so...broken. However the storm had soon passed, and his demeanor had calmed.

            "Sorry," He sniffed, "That was unsightly of me."

            She gave him a very warm smile, "Not at all, I'm glad I was able to comfort you. Are you feeling better?"

            "For the moment I am," He turned to her, "But I should probably grab my stuff."

            Looking at her worried face, he gently said, "I'll be back soon."

            To him, she was such a breath of fresh air. There wasn't a stifling atmosphere like there was on the naval ships. He returned towards the door and walked past the barrier and onto the road.

            She let out an inaudible sigh, "I wish I could go too..." She stood in a silent house, all the creaks and ticks she was accustomed to and was none the wiser to them, as she felt like the room grew darker, and in the pit of her stomach she truly felt alone again.

            He groaned, "I need to check and see if the captain sent me anything, what a pain, I don't really want to leave her." He turned around to see if she was still in view, but he couldn't see her anymore. The fact that she wasn't standing at the door waiting for him made him feel a bit better. If he saw her standing there like a helpless puppy he would've turned right back around.

            As he was walking he felt as if some other presence was watching him, he sighed, still a bit tense, and soon enough that feeling went away, so he dismissed it as anxiety. He walked into town, and it was as crowded and noisy as a human market would be, it made him chuckle a little. The only difference between humans and elves that he could see was the shape of the ears and the mana difference. Why would creatures so alike have the possibility of war in the future? Although it had happened once in history, he had hoped it didn't happen, especially since he and Ellava would become enemies.

            The thought of being a prisoner of war, or the killer of her kind made him restless it seemed as if the nature around him agreed with the restless leaves in the wind, he shuddered at the thought. He managed the shrug off the feeling and went into the inn, he asked the innkeeper if anything had arrived for him and the innkeeper went into a drawer and handed him a letter.

            His pained face showed the words of, "I knew it, what a pain," He thanked the innkeeper and went back to the room that he booked. His belongings were still in uniform order, which showed no one rummaging through them, so that gave him a sigh of relief.

            He then heard a gentle thud on the ceiling and realized it had begun to rain again, and made him remember how they first met, even though it literally just happened the day before, the strong sense of déjà vu had him laughing.

            Able to change his clothes, he tucked the collar of his jacket and pulled his hood overhead, then walked back out. The rain had started to pour harder, but it wasn't that hard to go through yet--the rainstorms at sea were milestones worse, however at the same time he felt like the rain was trying to keep him from going back.

                                                                        ***

Ellava looked out the window hearing the rain begin to pour, "It's been so rainy lately...it's not even our rainy season," She sniffed the air, "Wait a minute...this doesn't smell like a natural rain..."

            At the realization she started to back away from the window--as she feared, water burst through, the shattered glass barely missing her face, and she noticed the rain beginning to flood inside of the cathedral. She casted a spell to reverse the time, but the rain water was pouring in too quickly that it was a null effect, continuing to cast it would just waste her mana. Realizing this, she began to race back towards the stairs, but the flooded rain was becoming harder and harder to walk through, and eventually she became submerged within.

            I...I can't swim. She thought.

            Her grip on the spear loosened but she tried to keep it within her hands, I can't cast any magic like this...If only I could've made it to higher...

            Her eyes closed.

                                                                        ***

Gareicht was fighting strongly against the rainstorm--becoming more and more fierce the closer he got back to the cathedral. When he was in full sight of the cathedral he noticed it being full of water. Ellava floating partially in the middle.

            "Ellava!" He shouted, and raced forward harder.

            He heard someone clicking their tongue, he turned in that direction and the presence disappeared. He wanted to chase after them, but getting Ellava to safety was more important. As he forced the door open, the water began to flood out at a fast pace, but the water level was still high, as if there was an invisible wall preventing it from shooting out, he jumped towards Ellava, her body wet and cold.

            She must've been submerged for at least a few minutes, he gently held her face and gave her CPR. While running up to higher ground inside the cathedral.

            She coughed, his mouth-to-mouth resuscitation worked in time, as she coughed, her eyes opened slowly, but she was plagued with blurry vision. "Who...?" She wanted to say but couldn't get the words out due to her persistent coughing and her eyes shut once again.

            Noticing this Gareicht continuously called her name to wake her "a...Ellava." She managed to utter an "hm". He sat her down on a chair in the upstairs lobby, and her eyes opened once again.

            His face showed steadfast concern, "Are you okay? What happened?" All the while he was still thinking that he never should've left.

            "The rain...it was someone's magic." She panted, "I noticed it from the smell...that's when they decided to attack." She coughed again, "Thank you...for saving...me."

            "Why wouldn't I save you? We're each other's confidants, remember? Can you walk?"

            She tried to stand up through her shivers.

            Did the water damage her nervous system? Gareicht wondered, biting his lip.

            He looked at her shivering body, "I apologize in advance," Gareicht then picked her up again, "You look like you're having trouble walking when you want me to let you down, let me know, okay?"

            She nodded.

            He managed to return her to her room.

            "Um, pick out some new clothes, I'll draw you a bath." He felt awkward, and quickly shut the door.

            She was on her bed, her armoire right by it and she weakly grabbed a new pair of clothes. She wanted to take her wet ones off, but considering that'd throw them both for a loop she decided against it. She started to gain strength in her legs again and moved towards the door.

            Gareicht was back outside, "Your water is drawn, so go ahead and warm up, I'll wait outside." She nodded and then looked up at him, "You're soaking too."

            "Yeah but I'll survive, I'm used to being on a ship and rescuing people."

            Still shaking, she weakly held up her hand and said, "Abvarte" which made his clothes dry. Her mana was too weak right now to cast more than one magic spell.

            "Idiot! Why didn't you use that on yourself!?"

            "That...was my thank you." She gave him a weak smile and headed towards the bath.

            "You've already thanked me, be a little selfish." He muttered under his breath, her being unable to hear as well now, as the door was shut.

            He could hear moments of splashing water and shook his head.

            She could feel her body warming up, but the shock to her body depleted her mana which would hopefully recover after a good night's rest. After she was all washed up, she dried herself off with a towel and drained the tub, she wished she could use magic to dry her hair, but with her mana being so weak she knew that wasn't going to happen. She dried off as much as her hair as possible but it was wet and thick, and it was going to leak through her new dry clothes. As she walked out of the bathroom, Gareicht was there waiting, he walked up to her.

            "Do you feel better?"

            She nodded, "A little, but I'm still really cold, my mana is still too weak to dry off my hair."

            "This is why I said that you can be a little selfish." He sighed, and grabbed her comforter off of her bed and draped it around her.

            "That should help." Her cheeks flushed at the warmth of her blanket, and he chuckled at the sight, "Since you were worried about it, I'll bathe now."

            His bath was short and quick, and once he came out again, he noticed her face lit up again. "Will you be turning in?" He asked her to see if she needed help back into her room.

            She shook her head quickly and repetitively.

            "I'm scared to be alone now...I keep thinking of being surrounded by water on all sides of me again."

            "It'll be okay, I'll take you up on your original offer and stay here, that way you won't be alone." His voice was calming her again, but at the same time, she felt worried.

            "But there'll be times when you have to leave right...?" She looked up at him, with big innocent eyes, "Just tonight will you stay by me, please...?"

            That took him by surprise, he jerked his head away.

            She's too naive. He sweat, This could be a bad situation if it was anyone else.

            "Please...you said I could be a little selfish." Her pleading eyes hit him right where it hurts.

            With a heavy sigh, he sat down, Ellava curled up in his lap, and they both went to sleep. Or at least he tried too.

            He couldn't quiet down his thoughts.

            He wanted to refuse her request, but at the same time he also wanted to protect her.  

            After a few hours of his mind dead-set on keeping him awake, he finally managed to fall asleep.

            Once he shifted his weight a little in his sleep, he felt something soft. He opened up his eyes and freaked out at the sight of Ellava sleeping on his lap, he breathed in and that's when his brain started to process the events from the night before.

            Should I wake her up? He thought, Eh...I probably shouldn't right now...especially after a traumatic event like drowning yesterday.

            He carefully moved his arm and massaged his neck.

            "Ahhhh, my neck hurts." He groaned, Oops, did I say that out-loud?

            As if on cue, Ellava moved a bit in her sleep, and her eyes opened slowly. Her gaze was immediately set on Gareicht's eyes. Her face already flushed.

            She jumped out of his lap, and squealed, "Um-I, I--" She began to say, that's when her brain began to process all the information from yesterday, once she remembered everything her face turned a deeper shade of red than it already was, "I'M SO SORRY!"

            "No it's okay--with what happened yester--," Gareicht calmly said but at that point she was already running into her room.

            "Does this mean I can sleep in a bed now?" He said out-loud to himself, got up and stretched, then he walked into the room he used the day before and fell face first onto the bed to get some actual decent sleep.

            Not even the dancing lights from the window could get him up out of bed.

                                                                        ***

Ellava was in her bed, squeezing a pillow and muttering to herself.

            "I can't believe I bothered him with something like that." She sighed, "I don't think I can face him today."  Her face still burning red, she buried her face in her pillow, but then she heard her stomach growl.

            "Oh right, all I had was breakfast yesterday." she sat up, and with some courage she managed to bring herself to the guest room he was using while thinking It'll be okay, it'll be okay, and knocked on the door.

            After a moment, he opened up, his eyes showing he was visibly tired.

            "Oh um--are you hungry?" She asked him, trying to avoid his eyes. Her stomach grumbled a little, which made her flush red again.

            "I could use a bit of food, thanks. Can you wake me when it's ready?" He smiled, and pat her head.

            "Yes, have a good rest." She smiled, and as she turned, and he shut the door, she still felt like she was a bother. Gareicht, thinking nothing of the sort, went back into his bed to sleep. She turned from his room and saw that the downstairs was still submerged so she quickly casted the spell, Abvarte to fix it.