Chương 28: Chapter 27: Struggles of the Pig

It was nine in the night, when Alice decided to come knocking on Marley's chamber door. But as she raised her hand to rap, she heard a faint grunting coming from the inside. What on earth is that noise? Is he practicing already? Her lips curled into a frown. I don't feel any spirituality. She knocked thrice on the wood.

"Hello? It's me." A soft gasp came from the door, and a ragged voice replied.

"Just… wait a second…"

"Hurry up then. I don't want anyone to see me out here." Alice placed her hands on her hips, and clicked her tongue. Ten seconds of silence passed, then twenty, and eventually thirty, and still there was nothing. Ugh, I'm gonna go back to my room. She sighed and turned back around, but then a set of ragged footsteps approached from the other side. The door swung open, and a red-faced Marley peeked at her from the dark.

"You're way too early."

"I figured the earlier we practiced, the faster we can finish. Why? Are you busy?" Alice tilted her head in confusion.

"No… I suppose. Get inside." Marley stepped away, gesturing her to follow. Alice went in, and shut the door behind her. Her nose twitched, smelling a strange musky pungency in the air.

"What's that smell?"

"What smell? I don't smell anything." Marley furrowed his brows, and scratched the back of his head.

"I definitely smell something. What were you doing earlier?" Alice frowned.

"Just… it's nothing, trust me. Don't mind it." Marley replied. Alice stared at him for a good few seconds, before shrugging her shoulders.

"If you say so." What a weird creature.

"Let's start practicing." Marley nodded, and sat on his bedside.

"Just like before?"

"Yeah. It should be easier now." Alice activated her sight, and the world turned black and white. She placed her palm over Marley's chest, feeling the erratic throb of his heart. It's beating quickly, is he nervous? He wasn't this nervous last night. I hope this doesn't affect his practice.

"Alright, you can start now." She said. Marley closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath. A thick thread of spirituality spurted out of his soul, and coiled around the opening like a great anaconda. Then, a stream of blue light surged up his body and spiraled into his brain. Alice bit her lower lip as her soul throbbed in response. His eyelids shimmered, and when they fluttered open his pupils stretched over the greens of his eyes. One, two, three, four, five…

The muscles around his eyes twitched, struggling to keep them open, and he heaved and clutched the sheets of his bed as beads of sweat started forming on his forehead. Six, seven, eight, nine, ten. The whites of his eyes burned, quickly turning into a cobweb of red streaks. Eleven, twelve-"Fuck, I can't-" Marley expelled the spirituality and groaned in pain. He quickly looked away and rubbed the corners of his eyes.

"Twelve seconds. That was better than before." Alice said.

"How long can you do it for?" How long? I don't know, the longest I tried was thirty minutes, and my eyes didn't get tired at all.

"I'm not sure, but I think as long as I have spirituality, I can hold it."

"By the Lady. And here I am, barely twelve seconds in." Marley sighed.

"It wasn't a very good performance."

"You're supposed to cheer me up, Alice." Marley let out a soft chuckle. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"I'm just telling the truth." Alice shrugged her shoulders.

"Again, let's try again." Marley drew in a deep breath, his eyes still slightly red. Alice placed her hand back on Marley's chest.

"Start." Marley closed his eyes, funneling spirituality into his retinas yet again. But, in the end the same thing happened.

"Twelve seconds."

"Damn it. Again." For a third time he tried, but the result remained unchanged.

"Thirteen… no, twelve and a half."

"What? Again." For the fourth, he gripped the sheets of his bed, focusing every atom of his mind to the task. But even so, the ending was still the same.

"Twelve seconds still."

"That can't be right."

"It is right."

"Okay… I can do this. I just need to try harder." Marley closed his eyes, and restarted the entire process. With a deep breath, he gathered his spirituality into his eyes and opened them once more. Alice felt the cold stream of his soul flow into his retinas without abating or surging, but it was thicker than her own, more like sludge than a smooth flowing river. One, two, three, four, five-"It hurts! I can't take it!" Marley twisted in pain and released his spirituality into the air.

He turned away, a tiny streak of blood trickling down from the corner of his right eye. Marley slammed his fist into his bedside table.

"Why can't I control it? Why?" Alice stayed silent. I have no idea, Marley. I truly have no idea. She pulled her hand away.

"Maybe we should rest for a while. Here, clean yourself up." She reached into her pocket, retrieving a small white handkerchief.

"I don't want to dirty that."

"It's fine, I can have a ghoul wash it anyways." She placed the handkerchief on his lap. Marley sighed.

"You're so insistent. Fine." He grabbed it, and smudged away the sliver of blood on his cheeks. He pressed it against his eye for a few seconds, till the bleeding eventually stopped. He drew a cold breath, placing the handkerchief on his bed sheets.

"Thanks." Alice unconsciously licked her lips, as she stared at the blood staining her handkerchief. For a split second, she imagined smothering her nose with it, and taking in the stench of blood. She quickly abandoned the thought, her gaze returning to Marley.

"I'm curious. Why are you doing this?"

"Why? I'm getting left behind. Is there something wrong with that?"

"Father Orlando said demihumans learn in different ways, different paces. There's no point in hurrying if you're just going to end up hurting yourself."

"For the others, maybe. But… there are somethings that are expected of me. I am an Argent Noble."

"And why does that matter? You being Argent."

"We are soldiers first, nobles second. All male children of the line are expected to serve in the military once we're of age. If I… if I don't do well, people will look down on my name, of my father's name. I can't even control my sight, what will happen then?"

"You're going to become a soldier?"

"Not just a soldier. An officer."

"Is that what you really want? To fight and die, out there?"

"Who says I'm going to die? There might not be a war right now, but I'm sure one will come in the future. It's an honor to fight for the Lady. An even greater honor to die for her, but I don't plan on doing that." Alice tilted her head.

"I thought you said you wanted to die a glorious death."

"I was just saying that because it sounded cool."

"Then what? You want to fight forever?" Marley furrowed his brows.

"What? Of course not. I'm an only child, I'll have to get married soon enough. A real pretty wife, someone strong, stubborn, someone that can handle themselves well."

"I… I see." A soldier huh… he looks a bit pudgy, like a pig, but he's quite strong. If he loses some weight I could see it.

"What about you? What do you want to do in the future?" Alice placed her chin atop her palm, and fell into thought.

"Me?"

"It's not fair if you're the only one that gets to ask."

"I don't… I don't really know. I've never thought about it before."

"Forgive me for asking, but how old are you?"

"Fourteen." Alice said.

"You can't just do nothing forever. I think the church might offer you a position here. I could see you become a Deathly Maiden." Alice shook her head.

"I don't want to be stuck here for the rest of my life."

"True… and I've heard some strange things about the past Maidens, but never mind that. You know, if word goes out about you, there will be a lot of folk interested."

"Interested? Why?"

"Even I know your spirituality is unnatural. And the fact that you look the way you look… a lot of eyes will be on you. Some good, some bad."

"A lot of eyes? I… I don't think I understand." Marley furrowed his brows.

"What don't you understand? You're already near marrying age. Nobles try to look for wives with quality souls, quality bloodlines to pass on."

"You were talking about marriage? I… I don't know." Alice scratched the back of her head.

"If you're not staying at the church, then many nobles would want to snatch you up for themselves. I've seen it happen before, and not all of them are good people. If that does happen, I can point you to a few decent nobles my family is acquainted with."

"I don't see why I'd want that."

"You'd become a noble. A lot of people would kill for that opportunity, you know."

"I live well enough already. My father provides for me."

"Will you take up his profession?"

"I… I don't know. He never really mentioned anything."

"If you won't, he's not going to be with you forever. If the church and marriage is out, why not join me in the military?" Marley let out a half sarcastic laugh.

"With that control of yours, they'll turn you right quick into a weapon." He shook his head, chuckling.

"I'd rather not spend my time in the trenches."

"You'd look like the next Saint Helen." Marley yawned.

"It's already getting late. Why don't we continue again tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'm getting tired too. Thanks again, Alice."

"Don't mention it. I'm learning a lot of things from you too." Alice murmured as she went for the chamber door.