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2: Silent Murmurs

The group had been to see Cotthi many times in the month's time that she'd had the Delerium, and she grew weaker by the day. Soon, they were banned entry to the infirmary altogether, for fear of the disease spreading.

It was one afternoon when the feline anthros were studying once again that the news arrived.

"She's gone. The Delerium took her, only a few moments ago."

The news hit like bullets, shocking each feline who sat there, but Cayssi... her throat seized up and she began shedding tears like rivers down her furred face. The professor saw this and quickly rushed to Cayssi, who had shakily stood up and began to run.

"Cayssi... I'm so sorry... but..."

"...I don't want to talk about it..." Cayssi whispered, and ran off into the corridor. Alia's heart was ripped in two at the sight, and she sank into her twin brother Liao's arms, which had too been weakened from the news.

Even Siowa, Theral, Miatiwa, Amarsi and Atakiru were in tears. "Cayssi was her best friend," Siowa sniffed, her sunshine-like personality fading. "I... can't imagine it..."

Theral gave Siowa a squeeze, his own shoulders shaking with sobs. It seemed like the whole class 15-H broke that day, all falling into a tunnel of despair.

Cassime Academy, summer, evening

Cayssi could not be torn from her friend's tomb which had been erected by magic in the side of the mountain, close to the school. She spent days and nights there, drowning in her own tears. There were now rumors around; rumors that because the Abyss Delerium was so contagious, they might need to close Cassime Academy for inspection. That would mean no exams, so the whole class would need to take the year's classes over again. This was going from horrible to even worse, like a nightmare that wouldn't quit. Cayssi felt like she'd been ripped in half and left to die.

She lifted Cotthi's magic spell-book one night (Cotthi was one of the few that had been gifted with magical abilities, and studied them as a result) and found a spell. She was drawn to it, and when she uttered it, the words slid off her tongue like her own name.

"Wejmia kaiparri," she said in a tongue she didn't know.

The tomb entrance began to grow large, shimmering crystals of all colours at an almost alarming rate, that when Cayssi touched them, felt hard as the strongest metals. No one would disturb Cotthi's rest now, she thought as she leaned against the crystals and cried.

A small shard of crystal fell from one of the large ones when Cayssi's tear fell upon it, and she picked it up - it was in the shape of a star, and blue like both of their fur. Cayssi clutched it to her heart, and whispered her thanks, as she drifted into a restful sleep.

Cassime Academy, summer, late morning

"I haven't seen her in days, Alia. I'm beginning to worry how she's coping."

Kowero, walking close to Nessha, approached them just as Atakiru stated her worry. "Cayssi's back," he commented. "I saw her walking into the library with her books."

"Back for study group?" Atakiru cocked her head. "And where are you two headed?"

"Hmmm... Well, Nessha, what do you say to Starbeam River?"

"Just purrrr-fect. No pun intended." The way Nessha purred her statement made Atakiru wince, but she shrugged it off.

"See you later then. We're going to study group too," replied Atakiru and pulled Alia inside the library.

This time, thankfully, there was no music, so even Perru was studying with the others, and Miwese seemed quite relaxed as always - but that wasn't really different - and Alia sighed in relief.

But Cayssi... she didn't look well at all.

"Cayssi?" Alia whispered as she sat down beside the dark-looking feline anthro. She noted a necklace set in white gold around Cayssi's neck, holding a star-shaped crystal.

"I haven't been feeling well," Cayssi murmured, her face almost touching the Magical Skills book she had recently acquired. "I feel... real dizzy, like I'm about to faint."

Alia thought about this for a while, then gasped. She took out her Healing textbook and flipped to a certain page. "Cayssi, let me see your eyes," Alia urged.

Cayssi flicked her normally deep emerald green eyes at Alia, and the near-albino feline anthro gasped. "Cayssi! You have..."

Suddenly, over by the rest of the class, Miwese's figure collapsed heavily onto the ground. "Miwese!" Siowa cried in alarm.

Atakiru whipped out her textbook, and flipped to the same page as Alia. Miwese opened her brown eyes quickly, and began to shake her head. "I feel fine," she assured them, but quickly laid herself down again, holding her stomach.

Cakatu, who had been reading, blinked in surprise. "I'm not feeling well," he explained. "I'll be right back," he managed to say before he collapsed, too.

Atakiru and Alia were beginning to fear for the worst, as they examined the three who were feeling ill. Then, to their immediate shock, two limp figures were carried in by two of the teachers.

"We found them on the river trail," one of them explained.

As Nessha and Kowero opened their eyes, Alia and Atakiru saw one thing that told them everything - their eyes were much darker than they should be - so dark that one could barely see their slitted pupils within.

"Get them to the infirmary," instructed Atakiru urgently. "They have the Delerium!"