07 - Clinic [3]
"Tell me what exactly happened out there, Link?"
Dr Grace was serious. That much I could tell just by looking at her face but why was she interested?
Even I, the one who passed out, didn't recall what happened.
I scratched the back of my head, chuckling sheepishly.
"I can't remember."
Dr Grace's eyes narrowed, clearly filled with doubts.
She wasn't satisfied with my answer but it could not be helped.
Truthfully, I did not remember, and even if I did, I wouldn't release such information.
Yes. I had a rough idea as to why the doctor wanted to know.
Whatever it is that was reported to have happened back then must have interested her or the higher ups.
My guess was that it was one of two things.
Firstly, her personal research.
Along with treating the wounded and overseeing the affairs of the clinic, Dr Grace Carson also had another duty on the side.
Her research works.
I dare to say that her clinical practice was the side hustle, and her lab work was her main job.
She was crazily invested in it, and would do anything to see that it progresses in the positive direction.
She must have heard something, or somehow gotten her hands on the official report.
'A young, promising talent who is able to use an ice ability that is ranked at least S-.'
That was how the single, main information on the report read in my head.
At least that's how I would write it if I was the one doing so.
"Sure?" Dr Grace finally spoke after processing for a few minutes.
I nodded, playing ignorant.
Realistically, I was but for some reason, I felt she didn't believe me.
"You told me yourself that I was found unconscious at the scene,' I reminded her. 'How could I remember if I was unconscious.'
My eyes shifted from her, observing different areas of the clinic before finally settling back on her.
"I don't even know how I got here."
Dr Grace leaned back, resting her back firmly on the chair as she folded her arms.
She lowered her head a bit and exhaled. "I guess there's nothing that can be done."
I was taken aback by her statement but I remained unreactive.
After speaking, Dr Grace immediately fixed her eyes back on me as if gauging how I would react.
She had dropped a bait, hoping that I would beat on it.
"What does that mean, doc?"
She moved her hand dismissively and shook her head.
"Don't worry about it, Link."
She then rose from the chair and placed a hand on my hand, staring down at me and smiling.
"Get some rest now, will you?"
Those were her last words to me before leaving me alone to return to whatever it was she had to do.
Even after she had left, I still pondered on what she said earlier—the bait she had thrown at me.
What did that mean?
Could she have found out what my ability is?
Was she offering a helping hand? Or was she trying to infer something from her reaction?
I turned in the direction of the exit where the doctor had walked, staring in that path for what was longer than usual.
'I will need to meet her again sometime.'
****
"What do you mean by that, Eris!"
Eris remained silent.
She sat on the couch with her one leg crossed over the hold, perhaps too comfortable for the sort of matter she was discussing with this person.
"What do you mean that he has the same ability as you?"
"It's just like I said Cecilia…" Eris spoke calmly, not riled for such a serious topic.
She paused and looked out through the long, vertical window in the corner, taking in the view of the world outside for a second before continuing her chat with Cecilia.
"He used an ice ability similar to mine," she added.
Eris recalled the event that had lumped her with Link Remington in the same desperate situation.
Alongside him, they were already outnumbered four assailants against the two of them, with a hidden ranger class that they couldn't concentrate enough to pinpoint .
As expected, battle ensued and not long after that, Link pulled a crazy move and used an ice ability.
Eris, who had remained nonchalant towards him, was forced to react and not just mildly, she was in deep and utter shock.
The entire terrain was frozen up to, perhaps, a hundred metre radius as she estimated from how far she could see.
"That was how far his ice reached, but the surprising thing about it was that he didn't last a second after that and he collapsed to the ground."
"Forgive me, Eris, but I still can't wrap my head around this whole thing."
Cecilia was dumbfounded.
The most confusing thing about it all was that she couldn't tell what part of Eris' narration shocked even more.
"If I wasn't an ice user myself, I would have been frozen static as well, maybe even die…"
Eris gazed at her hands as if scrutinizing them.
On a closer look, they seemed to tremble for a moment before she clenched them into a tight fist.
The usual calm atmosphere around was starting to break little by little.
Her stoic persona was gradually shattering.
This was all because Link had unknowingly found his way into his mind, and did not intend to leave.
As much as she wanted to push him out of her head, his image lingered even more like a cockroach clinging to life.
Overlapping Link's image in her head was another one that she did not want to remember.
A person.
This person was just like her.
Similar long, pointed ears.
The same silver coloured hair and icy eyes.
The only difference was that this person's image was older than Eris was.
"Eris!" Cecilia's voice called out to her, dragging her out from the depths of her thoughts back into reality.
Eris' eyes widened. Only then did she realize that she was far gone.
She turned to Cecilia, who shrank away despite being at distance from her.
Cecilia tilted her head. "Are you crying?"