René Dago didn’t know what to think. He had seen a lot of stuff in his life, especially the fucked-up kind in the two wars he had unfortunately lived through, and yet he didn’t know what to make out of this situation.

  Before him lay two unconscious girls who were hugging each other in the mud. One reeked of puke and urine. The other reeked of copper. And even then, that wasn’t the strangest part of all.

  No, that prize certainly pertained to the crushed carcass of a behemoth lying a few meters away from the girls. Even ‘crushed’ was a wrong descriptor that failed to catch the true magnitude of the destruction. It was a mix between a chicken fillet that had been hit with a mallet far too many times and a mass of pizza that had been kneaded with a bowl instead of a rolling pin.

  He didn’t know much of the situation besides one and one thing only.

  “I have arrived too late,” he muttered under his breath.

  The girls were fine, but that didn’t mean the whole situation was fine. He should have protected them. He should have protected his students. The moment René had seen that sun materialize underneath the clouds, he knew he was needed, and even moving with all his capabilities, he still had been late.

  Too many things had gone wrong. The storm. His ineptitude as a teacher. And especially, the fact that there was a fucking behemoth outside the depths. How has that even happened? He had many questions for the people guarding over the depths’ entrance, but for now, he had a class to gather before things got worse.

  “They really were lucky,” René Dago said as he pinched his nose to fend off his gathering headache, “to find themselves against a young behemoth.”

  ***

  When Agatha woke up, her head was covered in bandages. That much didn’t matter to her; it was good enough knowing that she was alive. But what was even better was when she saw Christie sleeping next to her, unblemished and serene.

  Then she saw him and her heart filled with rage.

  “Was this supposed to happen?” She shouted at René Dago, who was sitting in a nearby chair. That part surprised Agatha, they were inside some kind of cabin.

  “No,” the man sighed in deep exhaustion. “Not at all.” She hated the man, but much like her, he looked worse for wear. “This area is known for having some monsters, but nothing ludicrous. Shalesnappers, vitreoshocks, and little more. Most of the idea behind the exam was the exhausting trek; the monsters were just an afterthought so you could use a bit of lithorica here and there.”

  His voice was so soft and heartfelt that Agatha just lost all her rage and collapsed back on the bed. I’m so tired… but she still didn’t want to sleep. With some difficulty, she raised her torso again.

  “What about the rest of the class?” She asked.

  “They are perfectly fine and unscathed, even the rest of your group,” the soldier responded. “Another group found rather big vitreoshocks, but nothing they could not deal with. You were the only ones to have found a behemoth, and now the whole region is under severe scrutiny and alert in case another appears.”

  “So it was just bad luck?”

  “Just bad luck,” he reiterated.

  “Depths,” Agatha cursed under her breath. “That makes it even worse. If it had been an impossible exam, then at least I could have gotten mad at someone. Namely, you.”

  René Dago chuckled at the personal attack. “You can still get mad at me. This only happened because of my inexperience as a teacher. Unfortunately, I am a soldier, and I honestly thought that nothing would happen to all of you, and if it did, I wholeheartedly believed I could deal with it myself. I was dead wrong.”

  Even though the person that had almost died had been her, René Dago looked even more appalled by the situation than her. Perhaps it was still the frenzy in her body speaking, but she had survived with minor bruises, so it was all fine.

  “So…” She muttered as the silence felt too violent for her. “Where are we?”

  “In one of the surveyor’s cabins of the depth’s entrance. The class is outside licking their wounds and relaxing. If Christina wakes up and is fine, we will make our way back to the academy as soon as possible. First aid is one thing, but I still would like for a physician to take a look at you.”

  Christina, eh? Agatha noticed her teacher’s choice of words, but she didn’t press on it.

  “One question, though,” he added. “The one who took down the behemoth was her, right?” The soldier looked at the sleeping redhead with those murky grey eyes of his.

  “Yeah…” For a moment, Agatha thought about whether she should reveal the extent of Christie’s abilities, but then she recalled when René Dago wasn’t surprised by her roommate’s prodigious displays of Agatecraft. “She dropped on top of the behemoth with all of her agates. I guess she used the Range command as they were… well, many.”

  “The Range command?” The soldier put a hand on his chin. “Yes, that makes sense. The behemoth spawn was completely obliterated, so the only thing that could have done it was Christina’s sea of stone.”

  His words entered through Agatha’s ears, but her brain still took their time processing them as she felt as if she had a massive hangover. Not that she had ever gotten drunk, but she had had her fair share of wine here and there. Yet one word sent her into full alert.

  “Spawn?” She shouted. “Are you telling me colossal was a… baby?”

  “Not a baby as such, but it was a youth, yes. The ones in the depths can be far, far larger. Ten times as large even, if not more. The depths remain mostly uncharted, after all.”

  “I see…” She wanted to puke. She wanted to puke so badly…

  The worst part was that this wasn’t one of René Dago’s crass jokes. The man was dead serious. She had almost died to a fucking crab baby. Agatha felt the embers of her rage gain a bit more heat and flames, yet the looming dread still prevailed, still remained in her body like a cancer.

  “I see,” she uttered weakly.

  ***

  Christie was immensely grateful for her roommate’s survival and well-being. At first, she had thought her decision to look for Agatha had been foolish, yet now she couldn’t even be more thankful for her intrusion. If it weren’t for that, Agatha may have died.

  The thought still didn’t feel real. Death was something alien to her; she had never seen it nor experienced the loss of a loved one – or at least of someone who had the time to become a loved one – so her only knowledge of death came from fiction.

  And yet she was in a dream as she saw her roommate shine radiantly as she always did. Her heart felt whole as she did so, the fatigue of her mind and body completely nonexistent.

  The two of them weren’t walking back to the academy like the rest of their classmates, but instead were offered a ride by Teacher Dago. Once again, the black-uniformed soldier demonstrated his prowess with Agatecraft as he effortlessly carried the two girls in an airborne carriage. It was paper-thin as the man didn’t boast as many agates as Christie, but it was sturdy, and it did its job. Uncomfortable as it was, the redhead preferred it infinitely to having to make the journey back with her own two legs.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  Even then, the descriptor of carriage felt too luxurious for the agate formation, as it was more like a large bathtub with seating and not much else, not even a roof, let alone wheels. Though those ones were wholly unnecessary.

  Between the ‘technical’ difficulties that had plagued the exam and the overall performance of the students, René Dago had announced that everyone had passed the exam and that it would be cut short. But most importantly, he made public what had happened to the wounded girls.

  “Is it true?” The person who asked her was Christina, the noble girl Christie had met at the tea party.

  “I fear I need more details,” Christie giggled softly as she looked at the brunette-blond girl over her shoulder. She always looked at people over the shoulder, but now it was more egregious with the skyborne carriage.

  “The behemoth!” Christina shouted in awe. “Teacher Dago says you have killed one!”

  “Shh,” the redhead put a finger to her lips and ordered silence. “She is sleeping.”

  “Oh, sorry,” the noble girl quietly apologized.

  The one who was sleeping was none other than Agatha. The petite blonde’s unconscious body comfortably supported itself on Christie, with her head lying on the redhead’s shoulder. Apparently, she had woken up before Christie and had watched over her until she did so, but the moment the carriage started moving, Agatha instantly fell asleep. Christie didn’t blame her; if someone had had it rough on this military exercise, it was her.

  “But yes, I have done it,” Christie said a moment later.

  “How?” Christina’s eyes shone as if commanded by Light in a mixture of awe and curiosity.

  “I… rather not enter into details just now. I will just tell you that it is not a feat of strength that should be… exalted. It was a really, really gruesome endeavor that I would rather not replicate again if possible.”

  “I understand.” Christie wasn’t sure the noble girl did, but confronting her would make her the type of person she hated most. It was really easy to understand things; there was no need to chisel it into the minds of people. Empathy was the most beautiful of emotions, and denying it was the worst thing a person could do.

  The rest of the journey was uneventful. Long, as they were forced to camp together for a night, but uneventful.

  Those days were but a blur in Christie’s mind. Certainly, a handful of things had happened, but she just couldn't recall. When they arrived at the academy, she had the faint feeling that she and Agatha had been brought to the infirmary, but she couldn't remember much of it. The only real memory she had after that whole exercise ordeal was when they announced the grades of the final exams. Most students had made it to the next year – Christie with the best averaged score – but most importantly, Agatha was one of the students in that not-so-select group.

  To celebrate such an occasion, Christie followed a previous bit of advice from Agatha and guided the blonde down from the academy to the seaside spot she had discovered whilst jogging around Knight’s Ascent, only that now during sunset instead of noon.

  “We have made it,” Christie said after sitting down on the granite bench.

  “Yes, we have,” Agatha’s voice was dreamy, her gaze lost.

  “Should you not be more… happy about it?” Normally, the nouveau riche wouldn’t have pressed on the issue, but she hated seeing the villager’s radiance tarnished.

  “I am happy, but…”

  “Happier,” Christie corrected. “I have never said you were not happy, have I?” She added with a soft smile.

  “You got me there,” Agatha chuckled softly. “I guess that too much has happened for me to be ecstatic.”

  “Yes, I guess near-death does that to someone.”

  “Yes, near-death…” As she uttered those words, Agatha seemed far more distant than before.

  Christie pulled her body closer to Agatha’s and looked at her straight in the eyes. Sapphires, just like the lone agate she boasted.

  “Please, tell me. What ails you?” Christie didn’t know why – or perhaps she did – but seeing her roommate like that hurt her far more than all the exhaustion she had endured these last days. “You can tell me, Agatha.”

  “I…” The blonde looked away, clearly avoiding the subject, but the redhead was having none of it, so she grabbed and moved her head so it faced her again.

  The villager didn’t utter any more sounds; she only grew redder and redder. Yet at the same time, more radiant. Christie took pride in that, in being able to regain Agatha’s radiance. Yes, this is what I need. I need that radiance. That was why she had taken to the skies despite her primeval fear. She couldn’t allow herself to be deprived of that burning radiance.

  As for the seamstress, she hadn’t done anything. She grew redder, and her breath became deeper and more ragged. She intermittently opened her lips and closed them, as if she wanted to say anything but failed to get the right words with every turn. Christie certainly knew that feeling, but something instinctual told her that it wasn’t quite the same.

  “Please,” Christie said to incite her to speak. “I will not judge you, just tell me what ails you. I want to help you, Agatha.”

  Those words had an effect on the petite girl as her dual sapphires shone as if commanded by Light. No, they didn’t just shine, they burned with radiance. The blonde fidgeted on the spot, and the redhead was ready to reel her back in if she tried to escape, but her actions took the tall girl by surprise.

  For Agatha pressed her lips against Christie’s.

  ***

  Agatha didn’t know why she had done it. Something had taken over her. And that something was fear. Christie was talking about grades, but she couldn’t stop thinking about that day. Yes, she had been about to die, but that wasn’t what she was scared of.

  No, what she was scared of was something far more different and stupid.

  She was scared of not seeing Christie again.

  Her heart ached at that thought, and even more at the fact of never being able to tell Christie how she really felt.

  So her body… instinctually leaned forward.

  It was a soft and dry collision. Their lips met, but there wasn’t any spark or exchange, not that different from kissing one’s cheeks. The lack of fascination was what brought Agatha out of her stupor, and she pushed herself backward in a panic.

  “Sorry!” She shouted as her face reddened more than the redhead’s. “I do not know what happened. I think I tripped, ha, ha…” She chuckled awkwardly, but not even she bought that excuse.

  Christie was looking at her stunned. Such was the state of her roommate’s petrification that she looked more like a statue.

  “Uh… Christie?” Agatha asked in a mixture of confusion and unsettlement.

  Those words seemed to have some effect as the tall girl finally moved. She raised her hand and pursed her lips with her fingers. Christie blushed as she did so, and truth was, Agatha did too. The gesture was just so… alluring. No, she’s not thinking the same thing as me. I need to correct this. Somehow…

  “Like I said, I am so sorry, I do not know why I did that.” The only thing she knew how to do in this situation was to apologize. She felt so bad. She felt so sick. The memories came back to her, and the worst of thoughts formed in her mind. If she were to be hated by Christie, she would have preferred to have died back then at the claws of the behemoth before so.

  As Christie raised her hand, Agatha flinched, ready for the incoming slap. Yet no hit came. Instead, the redhead’s hand climbed behind her neck, and she pushed the dirty-blond girl’s head forward.

  And kissed her.

  Agatha was confused.

  Agatha was petrified.

  Agatha was… ecstatic.

  It wasn’t a simple kiss like the peck she had just given her. No, this affair was far more intrusive as Christie’s tongue made it inside her mouth. It was so… warm. So soft. So delicious. So exciting. So refreshing. So… fulfilling.

  Yet her mind was stupid, trying to fight against the assault. Agatha raised her hand and placed it on Christie’s shoulder, trying to push her away, yet her body finally overruled her instincts, and her hand collapsed as she simply let herself be drowned in the marvelous and wet caress.

  Their tongues wrestled for their life in a brutal yet frantic dance. Agatha didn’t hate it. She didn’t hate it all. As if looking for more, Christie put more strength on her hook and pulled Agatha even closer. Their bodies pressed against one another, and the redhead caressed the seamstress-in-training's neck.

  Ah, Agatha moaned both mentally and physically as she melted into Christie’s embrace. She didn’t know why this was happening; it was most likely just a dream, but that didn’t make it any less sweet.

  Their kiss was a sloppy mess as she roamed over Christie’s teeth and gums with her tongue. The tall girl did the same thing. It was a mess, yes, but that made it even more enjoyable. More unique.

  I could do this forever… Agatha thought lethargically, her mind drowning in bliss. Then she realized that she could not do this forever. Her lungs burned, and she became aware of the fact that they had been exchanging lips and tongues for minutes now.

  Now consciously, Agatha pressed her hands against Christie’s shoulders and pushed her away. The redhead resisted at first, boasting a lot of strength, but a semblance of cognition shone in her eyes, and she let herself be separated.

  A silvery bridge hung between the two, until they separated too much and it snapped clean. The redhead gulped her saliva – or rather the amalgamation of both girls’ saliva – and that sent a shiver down the dirty-blond girl’s body, that found its apex on her lower body.

  “Ah… ah…” Agatha panted heavily.

  “Ah… ah…” Christie panted heavily.

  The petite girl was drowning both in bliss and literally, her mind still recalling the tall girl’s mouth as she pursed her teeth with her tongue and did the same with her lips and fingers.

  They were both bright red, yet no one uttered a word. Agatha could only look at her roommate as she held her body with a tight leash so she didn’t pounce on her.

  “I…” Agatha panted again. “What was that, Christie?”

  Christie’s agate-like eyes shone, not as if they were commanded by Light, but in a far different manner. A vicious and maddening manner that made Agatha want to pull closer into the redhead's embrace. And finally after minutes of sloppy kisses and embraces, Christie uttered a sentence.

  “Set me ablaze, Agatha.”

  Out of everything her roommate could have said, she couldn’t have said any other combination of words that would have had more of an effect on her. Agatha felt her sanity whisk away and pounced on Christie.

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