Chương 59: Book 2; Chapter 58; Black with no darkness (1)

Aqila was one of just a very few people who could see Anniet sleeping. She could feel layers of protection cast over the girl, but it didn't affect her. She wasn't too sure of the reason, but most likely because of the intention, why she wanted to keep an eye on Anniet. If this child had struggled for much longer, she would have had to go and interfere with it herself, as honestly, with so much going on in her head, it was surprising that she still didn't have a bad fever.

It was peculiar to see that, for support, she clung to the very same creature she was afraid of the most, belonging to, or rather being part of, the person she was terrified of the most. Aqila herself didn't feel much better than this girl. It cannot be helped. At least she understood what was going on. In everybody's life, there are some things that are taken as a standard, as something unchangeable.

Not because it couldn't be changed, but because you would not have even a single idea that it can be any other way, as in your life, it simply is the base of all understanding. When these things change, reality starts to slip away, and the mind is not capable of catching up with it and eventually tries to shut down to restart. Otherwise, it would just over-burn. To help restart it, you could occupy yourself with something you know very well or with something you like. Or, most preferably, a combination of both.

Then your mind takes this task or activity and puts all attention only to it; all the rest stays in the background, given no attention, just unknowingly registering what is happening. That way, the mind is allowed to realise that reality has shifted, and now there are new rules, new understandings, new something, whatever was overwhelming it. The mind is only a tool given to humans.

A wonderful and mighty tool, but still it is way too small to understand all the complexity of life, and it cannot catch up with a soul, especially if it was given permission to override it. Mind sets boundaries and then takes it for reality. When this reality is shifted, it cannot stretch with it; it simply doesn't have the capacity. Then it needs to restart.

If a person cannot do it consciously, then they are drawn into sleep, where the mind is given much more flexibility, and after a good sleep, they will be able to wake up with new boundaries for a new reality. Or even in its most desirable state - open for the unexpected. If a person cannot help themselves and also resists sleep by overpowering it, then they might end up in a situation where their mind will get completely cleared, either of things that bother it, or of all memories altogether.

It happens just to give a person a new start, as obviously they were not able to cope with their lives any longer. Under such circumstances, those who don't understand what a true person is, and believe that a person is what they know, remember and can do, would think that the person is gone or got crazy. Reality is that personality didn't change at all, only the knowledge kept in the mind, not in the heart, is reduced to the amount that the mind can cope again.

All the events going on for the past thirty hours were pushing Aqila to that reset point. Nothing that was normal, steady and unchangeable existed any more. For those who either didn't notice changes or didn't know that whatever was happening was abnormal, all that was happening was just an exciting event. But not for her.

She was always open for new and unexpected; however, every person has some base that they hold unchangeable, and her base now was being broken and shattered many times, much faster than she could recover. So at some point, she just stopped participating in this "chaos" that the King's coming brought, and concentrated on what was known to her and what she liked to do.

It couldn't be anything connected to the surroundings, as that's where all the chaos was going, and she concentrated on what she herself liked to do, no matter what the surroundings were. She liked to help people, she liked to watch and observe them, and find ways to help them grow, notice when they were getting off track, create opportunities to take opportunities someone already has but didn't notice by themselves.

She liked to explain unknown to others, breaking it down into understandable pieces and making it known. She just liked noticing those who needed help and was making sure they received it. So that's what she was doing today. And it worked perfectly. She left this place for King to run to his own liking and took care of the people who were coming or already were here. It benefited everyone. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Anniet didn't have this luxury.

She didn't have this knowledge, nor she had understanding of how to apply it, even if she were told. She wasn't yet self-aware enough to distinguish what she really was. To see the difference between what she really liked and what she was taught to like, taught to think about herself. What behaviour was coming from her heart, and what from the rules set in her mind. Her mind was very open to take in new things, but not in the direction these events have taken her.

Her base was kicked out, and she had nothing to rely on any more. Luckily, Rainee has managed to gain her trust again so quickly, which kept her going and prevented her from total shutdown. But all of it was way too much for one person to cope with. Aqila wanted to help her so badly, but just didn't know how. And then the girl helped herself. Her true kind nature erupted from the grip of fear upon believing that she might have upset somebody undeservedly, may it be just a dog.

And then she found comfort in its company. Aqila was keeping an eye on Blake, trying to understand how much of his input was in it, but couldn't read anything, as this boy had grown up way beyond her reach. Nevertheless, it was clear that the girl's uncertainty and worry were draining out as fast as she was allowing it, and layer after layer of protective shields were steadily covering her as soon as she stopped resisting them.

First, preventing any outer emotional influence, then making her not interesting to anyone who was just nosy, or worried without the ability to help. Then, creating a bubble around, slowly disconnecting the atmosphere within this bubble from all that was going around, as if it were two completely separate worlds. All the sounds must have become so distant in that little personal world. And it worked. Anniet finally chose to give up on this outer world, which was not interested in her any more.

She curled onto that scary hound, feared by so many, who looked now as soft as one could imagine, and finally allowed herself to leave all worries behind and go to sleep. As soon as she did, an extra layer came over one after another. Under such a protection, even if the cataclysm or war were to start around, nothing, neither sound nor breeze of wind, would reach her, nor anyone would look at her or would get into this little space, even by accident.

What Aqila was witnessing was a true masterpiece of work done by people with much higher abilities than her own, and it was evident that it was done by more than one person. But all worked in such unison. When Rainee came back, she also added a little touch of her own. When such a protection is cast, only the person within it could choose to break it. Luckily, that person was now sleeping soundly and slept undisturbed over all this ruckus with newly obtained dragons.

Aqila wasn't sure if, after all is finished, she should go and take this child away. Under any other circumstances, she would have no doubt about it, but she wasn't even sure that her house would be a safer place than the girl was in right now. Also, her guard curling around her was a scary and protective creature; there could be no doubts about it.

Aqila was sure that Blake's dog would not harm her, but she wasn't sure that she would be able to cross over this protective layer, and even if she succeeded, would this guard allow her to take Anniet from him. But someone else didn't have any doubts about it. The moment the ceremony was over, Blake walked firmly towards Anniet, ignoring all spectators, crossed the protective barrier as if it wouldn't even exist, and lifted the girl so gently that it didn't disturb her in the slightest.

Then he looked around, not entirely sure where to go next." What to think there about?" Aqila thought. The only building close by is her premises. It was difficult to say if Blake heard her thoughts or came up with the same conclusion, but he did just that. Soon, he and Anniet were inside the house, and Aqila followed them. By the time she walked in, Blake had already put Anniet on the very same sofa that she had made a bed for her last night.

The day was very busy, and no one had time to take the duvet and pillows away, so they served just for the same reason again. After covering Anniet and tucking her in, he stood there for a while watching her sleeping face.

"She will miss you," - Aqila said. No matter how hard she tried, she could not figure out what Blake was feeling about this girl. Truly, her feelings could not be a secret for him; it was all over the place and so open. Her thinking that it is same sort of secret would make one laugh, if it weren't too painful to witness. Surely he could not miss it? Or could he? People are most blind to matters that affect them directly.

"No, she will not," - he said while still looking at Anniet, - "she will miss you, as she will be coming to the Capital." That was something new to Aqila. Why would Blake think that she would be coming to the Capital with them? Right now, she was in the best place she could be. Why would he want to take her away?

"She might not want to do what you wish." – She pointed out.

"I didn't choose it for her. It was her own choice. And I do agree, this school is the best place for her to be right now. But it is in the past, as she has chosen a different route."

"She never joined King's Army!"

"There are more ways to join King's services than just signing up for his army." Aqila couldn't hold it any longer.

"You really like this girl?"

"What's not to like here?" – Blake asked, shrugging his shoulders and finally turning away to come sit at the table.

"You know how she feels about you?" – Aqila asked firmly while looking directly at him.

"I didn't become blind after leaving this place," - Blake answered with a smile, ignoring her harsh tone. So he did know. But he never answered these feelings. So he must be feeling about this girl differently. Maybe it is even for the best.

"Your reputation in… these matters is not too outstanding," - Aqila said, carefully choosing her words. Not because she would be afraid of this so-called merciless general, but because he had feelings too.

"Very gently said," - Blake smiled again, - "you have been kind as always, my teacher." This phrase clicked something in Aqila, and she said in a much sterner voice.

"Promise me right now, this instant, that you will not do anything of such sort to this girl." Blake didn't reply to it, just kept looking at sleeping Anniet.

"What are your motives?" – Aqila continued, not happy about this silence. – "What are you going to do when you take her to the Capital?" No answer again.

"You, young man, answer me right now. Don't think even for a minute that this cape of yours will give you any exemptions. In fact, why are you still wearing it? Take it off, as it doesn't give me a good impression."

"I cannot." – Blake spoke finally.

"You cannot what?"

"I cannot take it off while I am on duty. It is part of me." This simple statement brought Aqila back from wherever she was heading. Why is she so harsh on him? He hasn't done anything to deserve it. Of course, he cannot remove it. Everyone knew that Rainbow General's cape cannot be removed, and there were many tales and songs about how it was given to her by The One himself, and she has become the first general known to people to come in a power that way.

Also, everyone knew that on the very same day, a second general was appointed by this unseen power, in the very same way, but no one ever gave a thought that his cape was the same, irremovable. It was firmly believed that Dark General liked to wear his cape to impose power over others.

"I also cannot answer your questions," Blake continued, for the first time bringing his eyes from Anniet to Aqila.

"They are based on fear. There is nothing I can say that would satisfy you unless it meets your fear requirements. My teacher told me once that these kinds of questions are meaningless, as to meet the fear's requirements is equal to enlarging and strengthening it. Same as to disagree or fight with it. There is no person in fear, so there is no point in talking to it."