CHAPTER 8: Abandoned

Giant ferns flanked Ray as he walked out of the marble mansion, providing him with fresh cool air to calm his mind. He let out his frustration as he walked barefoot through the garden, the minute grass blades tickling and prickling the soles of his feet. He lay down with his hands behind his head and one leg bent over the other as he took in the rejuvenating breeze that blew past him. In his relaxed state, for just a moment, Ray had cleared his mind of all his hatred, all his thoughts, and all of his goals. For just one short moment, Ray had achieved a state of enlightenment that stretched beyond the confines of his imagination.

If only it was as easy to maintain this thoughtlessness as it was to produce it.

Ray immediately snapped out of the new experience and sat up, now more frustrated than earlier. He walked over to one of the maids and asked her if she had seen Schelo. She pointed out that the elderly man had headed towards the southern gardens, and Ray rushed southward instantly.

Once again entering the brightly coloured gardens, Ray felt a sense of isolation due to Schelo's absence. No matter which direction he looked, his teacher was nowhere to be found. Bright green, well kept bushes with contrasting blue and red flowers marked the garden's boundary, followed only by a marble ledge railing. Beyond that lied open lawns and empty ground with no particular purpose. Ray looked over the railings, but Schelo was nowhere in the emptiness of the vast grounds.

Devastated, Ray walked back to the mansion, his mind overridden with one purpose - finding Schelo. He had no reason to be so stuck up on this, but seeing Wolfe walk away with Emblaze had caused a fountain of jealousy to erupt within Ray. He also wished to stand next to a mentor like the servant boy had.

Several hours passed as Ray continued to ask around for Schelo. He also employed a few servants to ask around the city, but their efforts led him nowhere. He questioned the managers of nearby traveling agencies and a few officials working alongside the Vilhorms, but none of them had seen Schelo leave the mansion.

It was already 8 P.M. when Ray had finally given up on his fruitless expedition. Now hellbent on the idea that Schelo had abandoned him, Ray slugged his way back to his bedroom. He lay down in his 8 foot long bejeweled bathtub filled halfway with warm water just as he had requested a few minutes prior. The water drowning every part of him except his head felt oddly comforting. Its warmth seeping into Ray's body relieving it of all its stresses.

Unfortunately the heat did not burn away the sense of isolation that invaded the boy's mind. He had respected Schelo only to be abandoned by him after one faulty interaction with his father. Ray wasn't even mad that Schelo had left Haik's office when shouted at. He completely understood why Schelo would respond that way.

What he was mad about was that Schelo had inconspicuously left, or was hiding, without speaking to Ray. Schelo hadn't asked his disciple why he was summoned, and Ray never got to answer that he would be attending the prestigious Zychs Academy.

In fact, Ray would never get to express his gratitude. He would never get to relay how glad he was that Schelo was the one teaching him.

Schelo would never get to see Ray crossing the boundary between Gold and Broken Diamond. He would never get to praise his disciple for his achievements.

Ray's volatile nature had led him to believe that Schelo was far removed from his life, and in a way he was right. He would never get to see his teacher again, and his last thoughts relating to him would be those of unjustified hatred and anger.

Ray would never meet Schelo again. Not because the man had left the mansion and was headed off to a distant location. No. Just as the guards said, Schelo was still in the mansion, but his condition was worse than anything they imagined.

Located several feet below the ground, stripped of his possessions and chained to the walls of the Vilhorm Basement, his body painted with blackened bruises and bleeding gashes, Schelo would take a few more hindered breaths until his eyes rolled back into his head and the last puff of air left through his mouth.