Chapter 29 – The Bells

"What happened?!" Dorin ran to Sebastian's side when the Silver Tongue fell.

Prof. Dupont held on to Sebastian's arms, he tried to keep him up, but the boy was out cold.

"What's wrong, Professor?" Johan asked as he too, came to Sebastian's aide.

Prof. Jacob Dupont seemed to hesitate. "Sebastian... He just lost consciousness..." he said, though Dorin knew he was holding something back. "Help me put him on the couch..."

Dorin took Sebastian in his arms and carried him to the couch. The three of them went around him, with the caladrius and the dragon – much to the professor's surprise.

"Sebastian?" Dorin called, gently patting his friend's cheek. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Here's a wet towel." Johan handed a cold towel to Dorin who wiped Sebastian's face.

"Perhaps we should give him more space?" Dupont suggested.

"You think he was overtaxed by the past events?" Dorin asked. "Did he even get to sleep?"

"Over what?" Johan looked puzzled. "besides, we haven't slept for two days, and we're doing fine..."

"Well, Sebastian isn't that tough to begin with," worried Dorin, "and he did do all that stuff last night..."

"Just what, exactly, did you do last night?" the professor asked with a frown.

Dorin and Johan both fell quiet.

"Well..." Johan started, "We had a little bit of a misunderstanding..." he said, "and some visitors..."

"Anyway, we need to take care of Sebastian first," Dorin interrupted, "Azra," he called to the caladriel, "do you know what's wrong with him?"

"He is hurting here," Azra spoke, her wing touching her chest. Dupont was so surprised at her voice that he almost lost balance as he stepped back from the couch.

"A heart disease?!" Dorin gasped.

"No," Azra replied, "just a chest hurt."

"What do you mean, chest hurt?" Johan asked.

"He's just very sad," the professor said with a sigh. The 2 young mages looked at him. "Someone very close to him had just died."

Johan was the first to react. "The bells..." he said, remembering how the small chapel in the nearest town had tolled 3 times when they blessed the body of his late grandmother.

"So, who died?" Dorin callously asked.

Dupont stared at him. "Do you remember the Head Registrar?" he asked the two.

"Lady Chantrell Amunet Evangeline Ravant." said Dorin, reciting the name in memory from the plank on the registrar's table.

"She just passed away a few minutes ago," Dupont continued. "They are currently preparing the body for tomorrow's wake."

"I want to see her." Sebastian's voice was so soft it could hardly be heard. Dupont looked pale. He faced the Silver Tongue with difficulty. "Bring me to her." Sebastian commanded the professor.

"You... c-can't," Dupont said with difficulty. "They... are... all there..."

"I don't care," said Sebastian. He rose from the couch, his hands trembling, yet his face, as always, showed no emotion.

"We... we've... come this... far..." blood started to drip from Dupont's nose.

"Jacob!" Johan called to the professor. "Sebastian! Don't force him!"

"Sebastian, I don't know what's going on or what your arrangement with Prof. Dupont is," said Dorin, "but if it's worth the professor getting hurt like that, then perhaps it's best you do as he says."

Sebastian stared at Dorin with cold eyes. He tried to say something, then turned away instead. He tried to walk, but all the pressure in the past couple of days seem to have caught up with him. He fell and sat back on the couch.

"Sebastian..." Prof. Dupont faced him. "There are only a handful of people with her right now, that's why we can't go without risking the chance of getting known. Tomorrow, they will hold a wake in her memory," he touched Sebastian's shoulder, gripping it tightly. "You can see her tomorrow." He looked at Dorin and Johan. "We should all go."

[Okay.] Sebastian wrote in his slate.

Dupont gave a deep sigh of releif. "I'm glad you understand," he told him. "Now, can someone tell me what's been going on in the past 2 days?" he asked the three of them.

It took some time to tell the Professor all that had happened. He met the newly hatched Dagon, and saw the two kids change form as well. The professor was also told about the little 'fight' the previos night, and of the late night visitors who came to meet Dagon.

"I'm glad that you have trusted Johan enough to keep him from obeying your words," Dupont said with a smile, "and that you have decided to trust me as well."

[Would you like me to do the same to you?] Sebastian asked the professor.

"No need," replied Dupont with a grin. "I like to check my limits once in a while," he said, "besides, you are in no condition to do more mage work tonight."

Dupont looked at Johan who was already nodding off by the dining table. Dagon, in his child form, sat on his lap, already fast asleep.

"Let's call it a night." Dupont stood up, stretched his long arms and legs, and took Sebastian's hand. "First thing tomorrow morning, we'll go to the University's main Church to pay our last respects to Lady Ravante," he told him, "Now, you should take your rest."

Dorin looked at his friend. Through the whole explanation, he had kept silent. He must still be thinking about the head registrar's death. He was still wobbly when they stood up to see the professor to the door.

"Are you feeling okay?" Dorin asked as soon as Prof. Dupont left. He offered his arm, but Sebastian refused it with a shake of his head.

"I'll be fine," Sebastian replied. "I'm going to bed."

With that, he made his way to his room, leaning slightly on the wall for support.

"I'm out too," Johan said with a yawn, the sleeping Dagon cradled in his arms.

Dorin went to his own room.

He took one look at his burnt bed, gave a deep sigh, and made his way to Sebastian's room.

"I'm coming in," he called after three knocks. Good thing the door wasn't locked.

He found Sebastian slumped fafce down on his bed.

"What do you want?" came Sebastian's muffled voice.

"I'm sleeping here with you," he said, climbing onto the bed. "Move over."

"Go `way," mumbled Sebastian, not moving.

"I don't have a bed to go away to," replied Dorin, giving Sebastian a little shove, "and the couch is too cold and Johan is too lanky. You're the perfect sleeping buddy." Sebastian kept silent. Later Dorin heard a little sniff.

"Go ahead... Ask." Sebastian said much later.

"Not if I have to," replied Dorin, his gaze up at the ceiling. "I'll wait for you."

Soon the two were fast asleep.