Chapter 10.

Part 46. Bedside Chat.

Helt Fangstien awoke in a hospital room. He had seldom been in one but he knew it from the look and smell, and from the tubes stuck in his arm connecting him to some machine. Sitting in a chair next to his bed was a beautiful young woman with long dark blue hair; Serena Rexwave.

He smiled at her. She returned the smile.

“How are you doing?” the small Filipino asked.

“Id feel better if I was out of here.” the tall German replied.

“The doctor said they would keep you for observation until later this evening.” she explained.

“Ha well, no point arguing with a doctor.” he said accepting the situation.

They looked at each other for a long moment, then Helt broke the silence “What is on your mind?”

“In the time Iv known you, you have been nearly eaten by a green dog, stabbed by a French swordsman, and now nearly killed by a crazy cat lady. Is this how your life usually goes?” Serena asked trying hard to keep her tone level.

With a strait face he replied “It has been a slow few weeks.”

“Are you serious?” she burst out.

“I have noticed life’s events come in waves.” he said philosophically “There are long stretches of normal, followed by brief times of excitement.” he was going to explain more but she cut him off.

“Excitement? Is that what you call it?”

“Yes. Compared to some things out there, what we have experienced at this University is mildly exciting and challenging not truly dangerous or horrific.” he replied calmly.

“I guess you would know.” she murmured.

“How about you just come out and tell me what is bothering you?” Helt suggested.

Serena looked at him, her face a mixed mask of emotions, his expression so very neutral. “You are what is bothering me.” she declared.

“oh yes. That makes it perfectly clear.” he replied with a fake look of enlightenment.

She took it as sarcasm and fuel for the fire of her annoyance.

“You are going to get yourself killed.” she snapped.

“Yes. One day Im sure I will.” he said trying to be gentle about it. “Everyone dies eventually. I can only hope that I find my end doing something I chose to do, not getting hit by a random buss.” She glared at him but he continued the explanation, “Life is all about choices. We often feel our choices are limited, by situations, by rules, by responsibilities, by fear. Many people would like to do more things, but they are restrained by the risk of loosing what they have.” He reached out a hand and she took hold of it. “I value what I have, but I will not let fear dictate my choices.”

“You are just rationalizing reckless behaviour.” she said squeezing his hand tightly.

“Not exactly. But maybe a little.” he replied.

The small Filipino woman stood up quickly, letting go of his hand. “Just be more careful. Thats all I wanted to say.” She turned and started to walk away.

“I love you too.” the tall German said quietly.

A normal person may have missed it, but Serena’s hearing was very keen. She stopped at the door. Should she answer or pretend she had not heard it? Without turning around she said “See you in class tomorrow.” Then she left the hospital.

Part 47. The three kinds of men.

Serena wanted to scream very very loud. But that was a horrible idea. She had seen her mother do that once, in a moment of deep anger. The result had been much like an earthquake. So instead when she got back to her dorm room she beat the stuffing out of a pillow, in a very civilized release of frustration.

Her roommate, Emma pretended not to notice, until the small Filipino was done. Then she took off her head phones and turned off the music she had been listening to. “Problem at the hospital?” she asked.

“That man is so ...so... arrrgh!” Serena said, now hugging the abused pillow.

“You sweet on him aint ya?” the American blond made it a statement not a question.

“Arrogant ! That is the word for him.” Serena finished her thought.

“Sure seems like god only made two kinds o men. Whimps and assholes.” Emma said with a nod.

Serena wanted to be argumentative so she answered “Iv met lots of nice guys.”

“Yea but, once ya get to know them, what did ya think?” the blond asked “Either they dont know what they really want or they’re always havin to be right about everything.”

Serena wanted to argue, but the American was right. Her own experience had proven exactly that point. Of the two serious relationships she had, both were good guys but, one had been unsure of himself the other overconfident. “Not all guys are like that.” she said lamely.

Emma pulled out a couple of sodas from the small fridge and offered her roommate one. “You ever wonder why lots o girls go for older guys?” she asked.

“No.” Serena hadn’t given it much thought, “Arranged marriages?”

The blond laughed “ahhh most people would say money. But that aint the real reason. Its all about confidence.”

The small Filipino looked a bit puzzled “Anyone can have confidence.” she offered.

“Maybe so. But young guys mostly got arrogance. They think they know a lot and they think they are great, but they aint really done much, they dont know what the world’s like or what they are capable to do in it.” Emma explained “With age comes wisdom or at lest experience. Now I aint sayin older guys cant be arrogant assholes, some sure are. But there is more of a chance one will have real confidence in himself, and that my friend is as attractive as a brand new pickup truck.”

Serena was not convinced by this line of reasoning, yet she did know right where it was going.

“Our boy Helt, is what, a hundred years old?” Emma made her point.

Part 48. Sleepy Thoughts.

Serena found it hard to sleep that night. A million thoughts were swimming in her mind. She did like Helt, that was easy enough to admit. Why she did, that was harder to put a finger on. Was it right what Emma had said about older guys being more attractive, because they had real confidence rather than macho attitude? Was it his dark mysterious side? Was it the rare moments she saw passion in his eyes?

Age was one issue. He looked to be in his mid 20s, maybe a few years older than herself. But his actual age was closer to 120, from what he had said. Serena had not really settled her feelings about that. Helt had a century of life experience, he should be mature. But somehow she just did not think of him that way.

Her mind played the ‘what if?” game as she watched the numbers on her alarm clock change. If he was that old, what had he been doing with all those years? Living under one fake identity after another, moving often or settling down for a few decades? How many women had he been close to? How many knew the truth about him? Did he ever try to settle down and have a family? She could not imagine that.

“There are many types of immortals, mostly they are incorrectly put in the single category as vampires.” he had told her. What exactly was his type? He had not fully explained. “Damn his mysterious half answers.” she growled.

‘Was he evil? That should be the core question to be uncovered.’ Serena told herself as she tried to find sleep. ‘Does he have real feelings for me?’ was actually the question she most wanted an answer for.

Dreams came and continued the exploration of her troubled thoughts. She imagined a normal life with him, which quickly turned into a race through the jungle, as they dodged gunmen and werewolves to reach some old pyramid. Helt was kind but condescending, in the dream he had all the answers, it was like the life and death situation was just a game. It aggravated her, but also seemed totally true. He would never get an office job. If they became a couple danger and adventure were certainly ahead. Trying to change him would be a doomed activity.

‘What was he trying to get?’ The question sprang to mind as they searched the dream pyramid. ‘Why had Helt come to Sebero Secreto University?’ he had never really explained his reason. “Damn his mysterious half answers.” she growled.

Part 49. Why are you here?

Monday morning, History as the world knows it, with Doctor Deneto Mak, was the first class of the day. Helt looked as he normally did, there was no indication that he had almost been killed in the duel yesterday. Serena on the other hand, looked like she had not gotten any sleep at all.

“Hello.” he said as the small Filipino woman sat down next to him.

“Good morning, you look well.” she answered in polite public mode. “We should talk at lunch time.” she added. Not wanting to bring up anything here and now. The tall German saw nothing unusual in the request “Certainly.” he said.

For the rest of the morning Serena had to fight to stay focused on the lecture an on her notes. Her usually disciplined mind kept drifting to the talk she planned to have. Twice she almost decided it would be better not to go down that path. But eventually lunch time came and she found herself alone with Helt near the old orc tree.

“What is on your mind?” he asked casually.

“There are a few things Iv been thinking about since the duel.” Serena started to explain, then jumped right into the first question “Why are you here, at the university?” It was not the most important question but it was the best to open with.

“You think Im here for something other than education?” he answered a question with a question.

The small Filipino stayed calm, she had been educated in this sort of verbal dancing. “I think you are complicated and have some specific reason for being here, that you have not talked about.” she explained diplomatically.

Helt gave a nod, “True enough. There is something very special I want to learn, that Iv not talked about. Something they only teach as an advanced class. So you see, I am here for education.” he read the skeptical look on her face. “Would you find it easier to believe I was here to steel some magic item from the Arch Dean’s house?”

She smiled, because that would be believable.

“If I could buy or steal what I want, I would. But that is not how it works. I have to learn it, to understand it. To reach that stage I must be a student here.” Helt explained his situation.

Serena gave a nod of understanding and acceptance, “But you still did not say what ‘it’ was.” she pointed out.

“Nor will I.” he answered “not yet.”

“Why must you be so damn secretive?” she grumbled.

He briefly considered making a joke about it or otherwise deflecting that question. Instead he gave a real answer, “You are loyal to your family, yes. You have responsibilities to them, even if sometimes you have disagreements. You would not act against your mother or father unless you were sure they were doing something horribly wrong.”

She gave a nod of agreement.

“Well it is similar for me. Not only is secrecy a habit, as a form of protection, it is also a duty to my family. I have a great deal of freedom but I also have some deeply held responsibilities.” the tall German put himself into perspective.