The next day, I made my way over to the apothecary. There I found Ivy, lying in a bed.
She was finally awake. This put a smile on my face.
The first thing she did after seeing me was raise to a seated position, and lift her arm for me to see.
It was different from before. The skeleton had been removed, and now there was nothing but a stump where her arm once was.
Immediately the smile was wiped from her face.
Whilst I was a freak who could heal from fatal wounds, Ivy had to face them head-on. For the rest of her life, she would be an amputee. Another victim of the apocalypse.
"Do you like my stump?" She said with a smile on her face.
I wished she wouldn't joke in such serious situations.
Rather than saying anything, I slowly made my way over and sat at the edge of her bed.
"I'm sorry for not saving you fast enough."
"Don't be silly Leox, you did save me. If you hadn't awakened, I would have been a demon's food." Ivy responded, pushing me playfully with her good arm.
I knew that she would say something like this. It was in his nature to see things positively.
An optimist.
"The Collectors are coming today. I'm going to tell them about my awakening, and let them take me to the academy." I then said.
This caught Ivy off guard. A smile spread across her face as she leaned forward and pulled me into a hug.
"That's amazing! I'm so happy for you, Leox. Your unique skills can't be put to waste, I'm glad you realise that."
"I'm not telling them about... that."
Ivy frowned. "Why not?"
After looking around and making sure that no one could hear me, I explained to Ivy the conversation I had with my dad about my origins, and Doctor Frost.
She immediately understood why I wanted to keep it secret. This was important, especially until I figured out who I was.
And in order to do that, I needed to go to the Undying City and find Frost.
"What do you think Frost meant by 'the other side of the sea'?" Ivy asked, scratching her head.
"I don't know. I just hope that I can find answers at the capital."
"..."
Silence hung in the air for a few moments. It was eventually broken by Ivy.
"That means that we'll still be together during my Holy Angelite trial." She said as a smile started to form on her face again.
This wasn't why I had decided to enrol in the academy, but it definitely made things easier.
Having a friend by my side during this journey was crucial, even if we wouldn't be on the same path. Just knowing that she would be in the city with me made me feel at ease.
I found myself smiling too. My hand gravitated towards hers naturally, and we stayed like that for a long time.
Until the sounds of a bell came from outside, followed by the sound of horse hooves on cobblestone ground.
I knew that this sound could only mean one thing. The Collectors had arrived.
It was time to have my talent tested officially.
---
I stepped outside. The sun was shining that day, making the village look beautiful.
At the village centre, a crowd had gathered around a chariot. In front of the chariot were three men on giant black horses.
The three men were dressed like knights. They wore black armour, etched in gold. On their hips were swords, and on their heads were helmets that resembled a lion's head.
These three figures carried authority; however, it was the man who stepped out of the chariot which gained everyone's attention.
Unlike the knights, we were dressed in black and gold suits, with a red cape flowing behind us. He seemed to be in his fifties, yet he stood tall and carried muscle on his frame.
The flesh on his cheek had been burnt away, revealing his jaw bones and teeth through his face. It was a gruesome wound that made him look like a ghoul and made his voice sound scary.
"I am Chief Collector Meruvio, here to assess the children of this village. If there are any who have awakened, please bring them to me. I will be leaving in one hour."
Collector Meruvio explained simply. The Collectors wanted those who had awakened.
It was extremely rare to awaken without receiving the correct education. So, anytime a child was found within a village who was somehow able to awaken through their own methods, the empire quickly took them under its wing.
The crowd remained silent. After all, Everhurst was known for being good for nothing but farmers.
Until I stepped forward.
Immediately, the ghoul-like collector's eyes landed on me. He tilted his head to the side slightly and squinted.
"I have awakened, sir."
I watched as the man tensed his jaw muscles. It made the missing flesh on his face squirm slightly.
Eventually, the man stepped forward towards me, his cape dragging against the floor beneath me.
He was a tall man, even taller than me. I couldn't help but feel intimidated when he looked down at me.
Eventually, the man clicked his fingers at one of the knights in armour, gesturing for him to come over. The man hopped down from his horse and joined the Collector.
I felt like art in a museum. Being stared at for a long time was strange.
"Am I seeing things correctly?" The Collector said to his Knight.
The knight took his helmet off his head. He was a young man who now stared at me closely.
"You are sir. The lad is twelve. He shouldn't have awakened so young. Especially with such... Talent."
Relief spread through me.
It turned out that I was receiving these looks because they were impressed.
The ghoul-like collector smiled a sick smile and nodded his head. It seemed that he had seen all he needed to see.
"What is your name?" He then asked me.
"Leox Lether sir."
"Leox. Collect your things and return to me hastily. We have a city to travel to."