Miyu kept her distance, using the trunks of the oldest trees as improvised shields. As they ventured deeper into the giant training forest, the air grew heavier, and the sound of people disappeared.
«Why is she going in so far?» Miyu wondered, feeling a drop of cold sweat run down the back of her neck. This was the sector reserved for university students, an area where classes on dangerous species and high-rank spells left marks on the landscape. «If we keep going like this, lightning is going to strike her head... or a manticore is going to fall on me from the sky.»
Miyu was about to give up. The idea of being suspended or, even worse, of Seiyi finding out about her recklessness, began to weigh on her more than her curiosity. But just as she was about to turn back, Hurdson stopped in her tracks.
The blue-haired girl took an object from her pocket: a thin metal instrument, similar to a flute, but with no visible holes. She brought it to her lips and blew. Miyu sharpened her hearing but heard no melody; only the echo of empty air, a sound that seemed to vibrate in the bones more than in the ears.
—You should pay attention to the initial position of the door —the girl said suddenly, speaking into the void—. That was your first mistake.
Miyu froze. «Is she talking to the air?» she thought, hiding more behind an oak tree.
—The second was emitting magic so close to me —Hurdson continued, turning her head slightly—. That ring says much more than you think. Its essence trail is like a scream in a library.
With her heart about to jump out, Miyu realized the spy game was over. She took a deep breath, jumped from her hiding place, and landed in front of her in a pose that intended to be heroic, even though her legs trembled slightly.
—I see you discovered me! —she exclaimed, trying to emulate Wind-Breaker's voice with a wide smile—. Do you happen to know a forbidden language, Mrs. Hurd—?
She couldn't finish. The wind around Hurdson exploded with unnatural force. Before Miyu could process the change in pressure, something immense and heavy impacted the ground right in front of her. The shockwave threw her backward like a rag doll, sending her rolling through the dirt and moss.
Miyu opened her eyes and her breath caught. She had seen dragons before, but this was different. In front of her rose a specimen with scales black as coal, a color that didn't fit the common species she saw daily. Its degree of maturity was evident: it was much taller and more robust than the young specimens used for classes, and the glow of its red eyes betrayed a power that made the air vibrate.
—A… dragon! —Miyu screamed, backing away desperately as the animal's heat began to burn her cheeks—. A... fire one!
The dragon's gaze was a death sentence. The training forest was so vast that the commotion would never reach the ears of any guard, and Miyu knew it. She stood petrified, feeling the air grow hot around her. Before she could scream, the beast tilted its heavy head, gripped her clothes with a terrifying delicacy, and lifted her off the ground. Miyu was suspended at the height of that enormous red eye, seeing her own reflection of terror in the animal's pupil. She couldn't even open her mouth.
—Don't worry —the woman said, stepping forward with an icy calm—. He won't hurt you unless I give the order. You just have to tell me a few things.
Miyu, trembling from head to toe, began to raise a hand very slowly. "Hurdson" narrowed her eyes, alert.
—Hey, don't even think about trying anything funny —she warned, her voice sharp—. I know you're scared, but don't be stupid.
Ignoring the warning, Miyu finished raising her hand and, with an open palm, touched the scales on the dragon's forehead. She gave it a few small pats, as if she were greeting a large dog. The dragon, for its part, blinked in confusion.
—You're... so... beautiful... —Miyu whispered, her eyes shining with genuine admiration.
The woman went silent, totally thrown off by the surreal scene. Her facade of a cold and calculating personality cracked before the girl's absurd tenderness.
—Don't touch Fernando! —she finally exclaimed, regaining her authority with an annoyed tone—. If this is a distraction technique, I swear I'll kill you myself!
—Fernando? —Miyu tilted her head, still hanging from his claws—. Wow... what a strange name for a dragon. Is he from Spain? I know I should be afraid, but... he's incredible.
Visibly irritated, the woman brought the metal flute to her lips. With an inaudible hiss, the dragon released Miyu. The girl fell abruptly, dirtying her uniform with dirt and dry leaves. Before she could get up, another blow from the flute made the beast open its jaws, letting out a trail of burning smoke.
—Stop saying stupid things —Hurdson ordered—. Tell me right now which F.O.W. headquarters sent you to spy on me and how it is that you know who I am.
—Huh? Excuse me, Mrs... "Hurdson," I'm confused. I only wanted to ask you some questions and...
The woman stopped. Observing the girl's face more closely and hearing the tone of her voice, the gears in her head clicked into place. She remembered the collision in the hallway and, above all, the little girl's reaction to the forbidden language.
—Don't act as if you know nothing —she murmured, letting the books she was carrying fall to the ground with a dull thud—. You know perfectly well that is not my name. And you shouldn't be able to read that language...
Hurdson clenched her fist with rage, her voice becoming a whisper loaded with hatred.
—If someone like you exists in that organization... all of Lint's effort will have been in vain.
Miyu stood up, dusting herself off, trying to reason even though her heart was pounding in her throat.
—Look, whatever your name is, I have no idea what you're talking about! What do you mean "someone like me"? Is Gronk'tar really that bad?
Hearing that word, the woman lost what little patience she had left. She blew the flute hard, agitating the air around her. The dragon began to channel a fireball in its throat, aiming directly at the girl's chest.
—Stop! —Miyu shouted, breaking into a cold sweat—. I don't know why!... I don't know what you're talking about! If it's because of the language... fine! I learned it from my father! I know it's a secret, but I don't care! I'm sorry! Just... don't do that, please!
Hurdson wavered. Her fingers loosened a bit on the instrument, confused by Miyu's desperate sincerity. However, there was no time for truces. Without Miyu consciously planning it, her channeling ring pointed at the woman and fired. A blast of compressed air shot out of it with such violence that the flute slipped from the woman's fingers, flying through the air.
«It worked!» Miyu thought with a flash of hope. «Without the flute, the dragon won't listen to her.»
But her victory lasted only a second. The woman let out a short, sharp whistle between her teeth. Instantly, the dragon reacted with unnatural speed. Before Miyu could take a step to flee, the dragon planted itself in front of her and, with a swipe, slammed its enormous claw against her chest, pinning her against the trunk of a tree.
Miyu felt the air escaping her with every attempt to breathe. The weight of the dragon's claw was constant, a pressure that made the old oak wood creak behind her back.
—You have three minutes to convince me —she sentenced, approaching until her face was just inches from Miyu's—. After that, I'll do it with my own hands.
Miyu looked up, her eyes blurred by tears of shock. She tried to stammer something, but only a muffled moan came out.
—I... I don't understand... —she finally managed to say—. Is it something so bad?
The woman didn't respond. She stood motionless, observing the girl's gaze as if searching for a trace of deceit in her pupils.
—I'm M... Miyu... —the girl murmured, feeling a heavy exhaustion she had never experienced before—. I'm twelve years old... I live with my brother in the residence... I study at Veridion and I want to be... I don't even know what I want to be.
—One minute down —Hurdson cut in. Her tone was a cold warning.
—I learned Gronk'tar because of my brother! —Miyu blurted out in a fit of desperation—. But my dad told us to hide it. To Seiyi and me. He swore it would serve us in the future if we wanted to be great mages. But if it's so bad... then I don't understand why someone like you would want to kill me. Is knowing a language a reason to kill? I... I don't understand anything... and I'm very sleepy.
Hurdson looked down for a second, and something in her expression softened almost imperceptibly before hardening again. She raised her right hand; in her palm, a bright red glow began to form, a light so intense it seemed the air itself was going to melt.
—Two minutes.
Miyu closed her eyes, surrendered. The state of shock was sinking her into a kind of trance.
—I notice it... I notice that the orcs on the bus, the elves, and the magical beings speak that language. They all wear that same ribbon on their arm. Why does no one else know? I only want... to be comfortable again. To go back to how everything was before... maybe, to be able to be happy again.
Hearing those words, the woman gritted her teeth. A spark of doubt crossed her face. Suddenly, she turned her hand toward a distant tree and released the accumulated energy. The explosion didn't produce fire, but a wave of volcanic pressure that pulverized the wood in an instant. The impact was so strong that the entire forest seemed to tremble.