Dragonfly Wings - 1

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He walked through the stonewalled corridors, attempting invisibility.  Life was easier that way.  Faeries flitted overhead, tall elves dominated the hall with their bearing and grace.  It was humbling to be just a normal human at a mage university.  He was kept to the human dormitories and had seperate magical instructors for most classes, but he wanted to feel a kindship with these fellow magic users.  Maybe that was where it would stay, wanting.

He figured being seen as unobtrusive would set him as different from most other humans.  Or maybe aloof.  He supposed he was ok with that too.  Solitude was the dwelling place of thought and wisdom.  Loneliness too.  He was probably overthinking it.

Isaac walked through the courtyard, well appointed with large foliage-bearing trees and expertly stoned paths, he heard a feeble crying.  It was coming from a tree nearby, he approached trying to find the source. Odd.  Looking all over, there was no one around.  He was about to leave, when an angry, tear-cracking voice yelled at him "WHAT?!  Do you think you can come and comfort and hold me?  Like I'm some bird you can put in a cage?  Are you so insecure you need to control others all the time?  Like I need or want anything from you?  Get out of here!  You are all the same!"

The sudden outburst caught Isaac off guard and he stumbled away from under the tree.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to intrude, just make sure-"

"GO AWAY!"

Well now he was curious.  He was sure it was a faery.  Or an elf in a tree.  Not likely that.  What had gotten her so upset?  Faeries did not often cry, or ever.  They were most often unfathomably optimistic.  If only she knew the effect her words actually had on him, drawing him in rather than pushing him away.  They were spoken in anger, a reflection of her own frustration, not his own shortcomings.  They didn't bother him like she meant them to.

As had been thinking, no attention is better.  Shaking himself, he hurried to his runes class.  He could probably teach the professor a few things, but being late too often would still get him a failing grade and kicked out.  He could not afford that.  He broke into a run.

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Class was boring as usual, he had been writing runes with Ganon since he was five.  And more complicated than these.  They had always made sense to him, if he wanted fae to move this way and produce a shield, it was obvious he would draw his lines this way, and add these curls for strength, and those lines for style.  The teacher had given up on catching him offguard, it had bitten him back twice, he was not risking being made a fool three times.  Conciously bending fae was harder, but still he learned at what his teachers called "an astounding pace."  They weren't teaching him anything useful.  Of course it would be easy to pick up.  He puzzled more out in his solitude, playing, than he learned in school.  He enjoyed reading in the library too.  So much was possible, if only you applied yourself.  He had to smuggle advanced textbooks, but he hadn't been caught yet.  After all, who would *want* to read those dusty old textbooks?  And on such a 'useless' subject as scribbling runes?

A familiar voice answered the teacher's question about timer rings on runes.  She was here.  He wanted to put a face to the sweet, angry voice.  She had dark short hair framing her face, he couldnt make out her eyes from this distance, delicate features and sharp arching eyebrows.  Her wings were a handslength of pearl irridescence with black veins, like a dragonfly.  She was similar to most other faeries, maybe he just had never looked hard in his apathy, but a lot of small things made her seem... unique.

He tried not to stare the rest of class, it was tough, but he was a pro at killing time here.

The magical siren sounded, the day was over.  Everyone made their way toward the door, human students pushing their way out first, elves and faeries gracefully taking their time.  They did have a limitless supply of it, maybe they should take that into consideration when looking down on humans.

He watched the darkhaired faery distractedly make her way to the door, she trailed her hand along the ceiling.  She saw him looking, she must have recognized him, her head snapped around, looking for escape possibly, nearly in a panic.  His mirth cracked a smile on his face.  She looked at him again, making a decision.  She descended from above and stopped at his eye level.

She spoke quietly, no longer meeting his eyes.  Hers were green, like a verdant forest.  "I'm sorry for how I spoke to you earlier.  I.. had hoped you didn't know who I was."  She seemed genuinely sorry.

It was wrong to see a creature like her hurting like this, he wanted to ease it as he could, "Its ok.  Everyone has a bad day sometimes, right?"  He smiled, not his usual smile, he put warmth into this one, for her.

"I have more than most.  I haven't ever yelled at anyone like that before.  It has been a bad day."  She snorted, very unfaery-like, but endearing, she seemed more real for it.  She continued, "A bad week.  I don't know anything about you, you.. probably aren't like those things I said."  She made to follow their classmates, they were last  in the room.

No!  Keep her here, talking!  She seemed so sad and defeated, it really hurt him to see such an amazing being in that state of mind.  Isaac wanted her to know he meant this next part, "Well, I hope your day and your week get better."  On a whim he added "You're too pretty to have that frown on your face."

She stopped in the doorway, he couldn't read her expression.  Drawing closer to him she said "Do you like getting yelled at?  I am sorry for what I did earlier, but I'll probably scream at you again if you keep it up.  You have real skill at getting me riled up."

Isaac thought a moment, he wouldn't just run away in the face of her hostility, obvioiusly she was not her normal self.  Maybe she wasn't, maybe she was the crankiest faery in the world.  Isaac lightened his tone, hoping to get a healthy smile out of her. "You're the crankiest faery I've ever met, let's be reasonable."

To his credit she smiled a little.  She looked him hard in the eyes, it occured to him now that she could be twenty times his age, "The way you stare, I bet you haven't met many faeries and therefor your jibe means little."

Isaac laughed and conceded, "point."

She said "I am cranky.  And It's nothing that can be fixed easily.  I do appreciate that you care, although I have no idea why and it won't make a difference."  That deflated tone entered crept into her voice again, "There isn't anything to change except my own attitude.  So just leave it."  She spoke cold and calm.

He felt great that she was actually talking to him, even if it seemed to be headed downhill again.  Stay upbeat!  "Your attitude is fine I'm sure.  Maybe things will change."  Not wanting to push it and make her uncomfortable he said  "Hey, thanks for talking to me.  Most of the attention I get is bad."  He winked at her.  "I'm Isaac."  Should he hold out his hand for a handshake?  What was a typical faery greeting?  The absurdity.

She sighed and said "My name is Kim.  Don't start thinking we are friends or anything.  I'll fly away if you see you around too much."

Isaac laughed and followed her out of the room.  "Nice to meet you Kim."  She was gone.



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Isaac walked through the lush, green courtyards on the way to his dormitories.  Well it was on the way if you took the slow way.  He enjoyed these gardens, he thought while he walked, this close to immortal housing, it was serene, not many noisy types here.

He thought about his conversation with Kim.  Both of them.  She was angry at someone for trying to control her.  She felt trapped.  Enough that she felt hopeless.  She was going to change who she was so a miserable situation was not so bad.  It made him angry to think about.

He heard laughing from a rooftop, a musical appealing laughter, not raucous.

"Leave her alone Trevor!"  A loud feminine voice said.

He couldn't make out the masculine reply, more laughter.

"Get away from us, just go.  What are you doing?  Don't touch me!"

Isaac began walking toward the three story stone dorm.  It was for Immortal females.  He laughed to himself, "sticking your nose in again where it isn't wanted eh Isaac?"

A deeper voice joined in, "Master Vinwere please do as she says, leave here, or I will be forced to alert your family of --"

A loud slap rang out, more laughter, then screaming.  A throat-ripping scream that seemed to last for hours.  It stopped abruptly with a muffled thump.

Isaac's head spun.  The pieces all fit, but it couldn't be really happening.  Isaac stampeded through the gardens, not caring about what flowers or bushes he trampled.  There!  He was afraid of what he would find.

The girl lay facedown, the contrast between the vivid luscious grass and her ghostly white shape impressed itself on his mind.  She was clutching her bag next to her.  Something moved inside.  The slim elf was in a light summer dress, her bright blonde hair a halo around her head, stark against the green grass.  Isaac did not slow his pace before sliding to his knees next to her.

A young elf and an older one looked over the edge, both looked sick, and arrogant.  Arrogance should be accompanied by illness more often.  An argument was starting, but Isaac had no time to pay attention.  Her body struggled to take in air, fighting for life in spite of the 15 meter fall.

Isaac needed to know what her condition was, he pulled small scrolls from his bag, grabbing the one he needed, he tore it from the antifae tube, wrapped it around his wrist.  His eyes began to take on a luminescence.  They would be glowing white to anyone else, to him he could see through, into, whatever he wanted.  It was his normal fae sight, but enhanced in every way.

He frantically scanned her torso and head.  Everything was as transparent as glass, he saw her broken bones, her torn internal tissues.  He searched for the most serious injuries.  She had broken all her ribs, her spinal cord was intact thank the gods, but several bones were broken along her back, some fractures in her face, but those were not life threatening, brain swelling might be an issue.  Isaac's movements were quick, jerky as he pulled up his left pant leg and pulled his runed knife out.

There was no way to move her safely, her spinal cord was likely under stress as it was.  This is where he would work.  He cut through the back of her dress, neck to her lower back and pulled it apart, giving him lots of room for drawing.

He cupped his left hand and cut the palm deeply.  Cursing at the pain, he pulled out his rabbitsfur brush from its place next to the knife.

Students were beginning to gather around, as they will when something exciting happens.  Turning his head toward the crowd, Isaac yelled at no one in particular "Get help, NOW!"  After a second of discussion footsteps pattered into the distance.

Isaac paid them no more attention, he dipped his brush in his pooled blood and began the rune that would save this girls life.  Starting in the middle of her slim back, her skin was the perfect canvas for his work, he drew the lines and curves for a boneknitting rune.  Under different circumstances, he thought he could paint on her all day.

Bones began to knit as the rune took shape.  His mage blood massively amplifying the rune's power.  The rune glowed as it worked, any with fae sight would see a dance of light particles, like a lightstorm raging above his work, flowing down into his patient.  Within moments her spinal nerves were again protected.  Her broken vertebrae were repaired.  There was still much to do.  He marked the bone healing to concentrate finishing on her spine, then her ribs.  His glowing eyes noted that her skull was under great pressure.  In a short time her mind would be broken.

Something seemingly simple required a more complex rune, the brain was tricky, any wrong move might kill her or cause mental damage.  He slowed the boneknitting with a quick swirl of his brush, it could get out of control if he wasn't paying attention, and focused all his skill.  Working hot was dangerous at  best. 

Sweat poured out of him, the brush was slick in his hands.  At the base of her neck, he began anew, circles inside glowing circles, dots and lines.  Her breathing was becoming more ragged, heartbeat irregular, her internal injuries were severe.  Isaac calmed himself, one thing at a time.  He didn't need her living only to be an invalid.  He pressed on painting with his blood, torturous seconds passed by with no improvement.  He could not feed the rune power until it was finished, it would cause damage if activated before it was complete.

Finally, the rune exploded in light as it came to life.  The pressure inside her skull was already lessening, he had made it very strong.  Isaac slowed the anti-swelling rune to a crawl, her brain was safe.  He turned his attention back to her torso.  The rune for tissue regeneration was nearly identical to the boneknitter, he made a few marks and it became dual pupose, cuts made by broken ribs, ruptures, began to grow new cells to close tears.

As she came closer to life than death, Isaac noted the effect this was having one her.  Much longer and her blood would no longer be able support the body.  He had to keep track of her blood health as he worked.

Letting out a relieved sigh, Isaac watched his runes coninue their work.  The serious injuries were dealt with, he was confident she would live.  Her brain was under normal pressure, all bleeding was stopped and her breathing was normal.  He was proud of that last bit, instead of drawing a whole new rune, wasting precious seconds, he was able to make one rune perform two tasks.  It might have been done before he supposed, but he hadn't seen it before.

Checking her skull, he completely deactivated the active portion of the anti-swelling rune with a dry finger, cutting its fae.  He began drawing a ring around it that would activate the rune only if pressure became too much.  Isaac then drew rings around the dual-knitter rune, slowing its progress down to about four times normal healing.  She would be fine in a few days, although sore.  She would be eating like a horse for those days though, he almost laughed at the thought of a petite elf girl eating like a beast.

His palm was still bleeding heavily.  He cleaned his brush in his mouth, then carefully put it away.  Isaac tore off a sleeve of his undershirt and wrapped it tightly around his hand.  He would not be able to sustain enhanced healing right now.

He looked around briefly, there was a crowd now.  Some looked impressed.  The older students looked awed.  He suppressed a smile, it would not do to look smug, especially when a life had been in the balance.  He hoped someone with authority would arrive soon.  He would rather not be the subject of all this attention.  No one made a move to get near them.

Her bodyguard flung the doors of the dorm apart at a dead run.  He looked terrified. Isaac thought he should look embarassed.  Honestly, falling from a roof?  What was he letting her up there for in the first place?  His life had likley been hinging on Isaac's runes as much as her's had.

A few others skulked out the doors of the dorms, glancing briefly at the little scene, then nervously slithered out of sight.  Isaac tried to memorize their faces.  They were likely involved.  A tall blonde elf stayed a moment longer, staring at Isaac with those same haugty eyes he had seen next to bodyguard on top the roof.  Trevor possibly?  He walked after his friends, his stride unhurried and confident.

Isaac began to rise, saw spots and sat back down heavily.  Perhaps he should eat something.  He reached into his bag and grabbed a piece of fruit.

Panting, the old elf stooped over her body.  He saw the runes, Isaac's bandaged hand and his face darkened like an afternoon sky as a storm comes in.  "You ignorant FOOL!  Do you even know how many ways you could have killed her?  I'll see you expelled for this!"

"She's going to be just fine in case you were at all interested..." Isaac said calmly.  He did not like the elf's tone, the man should be grateful.  Isaac understood the bodyguard was under stress and would excuse some rudeness, but this?

"You didn't wait for a deadzone!  No human is even qualified to work on an elf!  Did you make a single correct decision in the last 5 minutes?  Do you have ANY idea what you were doing?"  His face had changed from a dignified elven pale to a raging red that made his words seem even more foolish.

It was hard not to antagonize the situation.  The man was putting himself completely under Isaac's control, as he had decided not to take control of himself.  "I knew EXACTLY what I was doing,  I'd bet you don't have the slightest clue though.  I was doing your job for you 'bodyguard'.  I saved her life."  Maybe Isaac wasn't as in control as he thought.  He didn't stop though.  "Did you honestly expect me to leave her lying for who knows how long, face down in the grass, broken bones all over and bleeding internally?  Indeed, I am the fool here.  I wouldn't put it past you to try and move her to cover your ineptitude, which would have probably severed her spinal nerves, paralyzing or killing her."

He spluttered a moment, apparently he lost his mental footing, Isaac thought he had hit close on moving her body.  Stabbing toward her with his finger, he said "She would have been fine, lying right there until the surgeon arrived.  IF you had called for help right away instead of diving in to help as if you were some hero."  He had laughed out the last bit.  His tone was again deadly serious, "You needlessly endangered her life, and I will see that you pay for it."

Isaac again regretted the students gathered around.  Stories would spread to everyone on campus by tonight.  Within the hour in fact.  He would be villified in most versions he suspected, the word of an elf was strong against his own.  But the advanced students knew the truth, however.  Isaac had saved her life.  "Trying to direct the attention anywhere but your terrible job of guarding?  I wasn't trying for heroism, just doing something good that I knew I could." Isaac said to himself "And this arrogant fool threatens me with beauracracy.  The grace of the elves.  Bull."

A booming authoritative voice broke through the students' murmuring, "What is going on here?"  He expected answers.

The terrible bodyguard was happy to comply.  "Well sir, this human nearly killed Miss Elletal!"

Dean Volletari said "I presume you are her guard."  He did not seem convinced.  Isaac liked him, he didn't just hear something and believe it and immediately act on it.

"Yes Dean Volletari."

"What do you mean, he nearly killed her?"  He said as he walked brisquly.  The students fell back quickly, eyes on the ground.  The dean came into view.  He was an imposing elf with long black hair, wearing elegant brown and blue robes.

The bodyguard seemed less sure of himself now.  He said, stuttering, "Well, she uhm.. fell from the roo-"

The Dean cut him off, "What!  Have you sent for the surgeon?  Where is the girl?  I have some skill.  I'll not have students dying at my school."  He began running in spite of his robes.

"That is what I was trying to tell you, this whelp of--"

"She is doing fine now Dean."  Managing to stand, Isaac ducked his head in respect.  He said "I was able to get her spine and internal injuries knitted up quickly.  I was most worried about her skull being under pressure, but I was able to lessen the swelling and she will be ok.  But she should eat something as soon as possible.  I've slowed the runes until she is back to normal."

Dean Volletari regained his dignity, but did not stop advancing on the elf maidens prone figure.  "...Impressive young man.  What is your name?"  He asked.  The dean's eyes glowed as he inspected the girl's body, making sure everything was in fact allright.

"Isaac Greatvale, sir."  His voice quavered a little.  The Dean was rarely seen around the grounds.  Why had he been close enough for this?

His voice intense, he said "This is fine work young man."  He looked closely at the runes.  "Her bodyguard was right to be worried though."

Isaac's heart sank.  "I did what I though--"

The dean stood up, he did not have to raise his voice to talk over him.  "Why do you think what you did was dangerous?"  His voice held no anger, he was calm.  A fair disciplinarian.

Isaac took heart.  He had nothing to hide.  He said firmly "I am no surgeon, I admit, although I have studied anatomy extensively.  I am no runemaster, but I have some skill.  Working live runes is always dangerous.  I guess I could have fainted of blood loss too.  Sir."  He burned to say more, but he knew it was foolish to give more than asked for.

The ancient elf grunted and said "Why did you ignore all these things?  Obviously you knew there was great danger."

The bodyguard smiled triumphantly.

Isaac had his opportunity.  "I did what I thought was correct.  She was going to die before anyone got here.  I know I had the ability to at least help her stay alive until the surgeon got here."  Isaac voice was heated with passion, he continued "Her injuries were not beyond my skill so did what I could Sir.  I was not going to let her die."

Isaac could hear the intake of breath from the students all around.

The dean spotted a guard and said "You, get these students out of here.  And call some prefects up to make sure the area is clear until we can get her out of here."  He turned to Isaac.  He quieted his voice and said "You did well in this instance.  I believe you did save her life.  But."  He raised his voice and hardened it with all his years and power, "You will not act so presumptuously in the future.  Something could have gone very wrong here and then you would share her blood.  You do not want that."  His tone removed all thought of discussion.

"Yes sir. Thank you sir."

Discipline was over.  Dean Volletari leaned on a bench a few feet from Isaac.  Visibly relaxed, the turned into a father, tired and strict, but he said in a warmer tone "We'll get your hand healed when the surgeon gets here.  He won't have anything else to do but check her over again."  Nodding toward the girl he said "It was a brilliant bit of work.  I'll keep an eye out for your name in the future." 

Stuttering Isaac managed another "Thank you sir"

"The fools I have to deal with.  Race will always be an issue I suppose."  The dean rose and put back on his sternness.  "You, bodyguard.  Come here.  I would like to know exactly what happened on the roof and after.  I will find out who was up there and have accounts from all of them.  I will have the truth."