Chapter 5: Magic.

"Hello there young lady, nice to meet you," Alistor said politely, the girl looks behind Alistor where the thugs were nowhere to be found, as he continued " Don't worry young lady, they are nowhere from sight, I took care of them, so you can rest easy"

The girl wondered who this man is and how she was saved by him, the girl said with a trembling voice "W-who...are you?"

Alistor replied, "I am Alistor, your trusty shadow, there is no need to be afraid my dear, shadows can be friendly also." Alistor said as he plays around with the shadows, he sensed that the girl was still on her guard so he went and played with his shadows to warm her up. Alistor used his hat and brought out his staff, the girl was already amused by how he did that, Alistor then taps the floor with his staff and the alleyway became a magical forest.

The girl questions Alistor "H-how did you do that?" she asks as she was not good at communicating with others.

Alistor replied smiling as he holds his staff "Well, sometimes shadows can make illusions, such as these, but we are still in the alleyway, do you have time after this?"

The girl nodded slowly and Alistor smiled as he said "So what is your name?"

"Nao...Ene..."Nao quietly answers while following Alistor from behind.

"That's a strange name, but it's fascinating," Alistor said and pauses his walk and looked back at Nao and Nao pauses also, as Alistor says with curiosity "What's with the hood? are you lost or something?." Alistor saw notices Nao with an all-black hood with some bruises and dirt all around her feet and face, Nao just quietly looked down and fidgets with her hands as Alistor understands and didn't pry to the situation, but Alistor didn't want her to catch a cold, so he said "If you don't wanna talk about it, it's fine, I understand, but I will not leave you until you bathed and changed some new clothes" as Alistor eagers to help Nao, he thought to himself that "it must have something to do with her past, quite similar to mine." Alistor understood the feeling Nao quietly didn't want to talk about because he shares some similarity with the girl, so he said "Ok, let's go buy some new clothes"

Nao nodded as she thought to herself "why is he helping me? does he not know what kind of person I am? why did he save me back there? is this some kind of gesture?" as Naos' mind was flooded with questions as she was quiet on the outside, but noisy in the inside.

Alistor and Nao walk on the middle of the road as merchants and sellers from both sides, were selling some items and armor, Alistor said " Miss Nao, this way please" as Alistor opened a door with a bell on top, Nao looked up and saw a sign with clothes as an emblem, Nao went in first and Alistor follows and closed the door, they were greeted with the dress master, whom he met a few days ago, with his maids behind him, he said, "Well if it isn't Alistor, what brings you today monsieur?"

"I want clothes that will fit in her size," Alistor said and reveals Nao from behind "Do you have any? can you take measurements for her and recommend some clothes for me" Alistor said as the dress master said "Hmmm... " as he roams around Nao and said "I have a few things in store, I will find what's best for her, but first you need a shower, come along now" as the dress master said, Nao looked at Alistor as she looked worried and Alistor crouched and said "Don't worry, he'll take care of you" as she looked became more relaxed and the dress master guides Nao.

Alistor replied "Please, if it's you dress master, I'm sure you will find a way to make it fit" as he said with a smile on his face."

"Call me Xav" as The dress master said.

As Alistor was waiting patiently for Nao to come out, Alistor noticed Aurora the Chief of the travelers' tavern, and Aurora also noticed Alistor in the store, Alistor waved as he smiled, and Aurora waved as she enters the store also, Alistor didn't expect for her to come in, she wasn't in her usual clothes, she was in wearing some cute clothes with black as her shirt and inserted to her pink skirt.

"Hello there Chief, what brings you here?" Alistor asked as she comes near him.

"Hello, I was just looking for you, I need you for something, can you stop by the tavern whenever you're free? It's about the creature we encountered the other day." Aurora said as she said to Alistor.

"Understood, I have to finish this first, I can't leave her unattended," Alistor replied.

"Her?" Aurora said with a speck of curiosity.

The curtains opened and there was Nao, she was wearing a white skirt and a blue long-sleeved shirt and cotton at the end of the dress, Alistor smiled and Aurora was shocked to see Alistor had a child with him.

"Who is this child?" Aurora asked as she saw Nao with her cute clothes.

"looks good on you," Alistor said and continued "This is Nao, I saw her with some few thugs, I scared them off, and here I am taking care of her, I'll ask about her parents and where she came from when she is more relaxed with me" and faces Xav "how much was it?"

"5 Silvers is enough, monsieur.' Xav Replied and Alistor paid him and continued "Thank you for your patronage"

Alistor, Nao, and Aurora head out the store, and Alistor said to Nao "Nao, I have some important matters to attend to, I will have micreal pick you up"

"Mi...creal?" Nao said as she tilted her head a bit.

"Yes, he is my butler, he will come to pick you up, he looks like a waiter from a restaurant," Alistor said as he crouches.

Nao nodded and Alistor telepathically contacted Micreal and asked him to pick her up, Micreal then, appeared behind them like a shadow and as he bows and his right hand to his chest " I've come to pick her up sir" and Alistor replied, "Take care of her, please Micreal, keep her comfortable, play with her." And Micreal replied " Don't worry sir, I'll take it from here" and Alistor nodded as he walks to the tavern

Alistor was in Aurora's office and he sits down across her and said "So? what did you find?"

"I found this" As Aurora then shows him a syringe and a vial.

"A syringe and a vial?" Alistor asked as he looked closely.

"Yes, we found this after the reconstruction at a nearby river, I suspected that there were some types of equipment for later investigation, and It led me to this, and you saw how that cloaked man injected himself with," Aurora said as she discussed to Alistor.

"I get all of this, but why me?" Alistor asked.

"Since you were with me so instead of discussing with the higher ranks, it's best to discuss it with you, since your much more reliable" Aurora replied

"And they don't?" Alistor continued.

"The higher-ups are slow with these types of things, when I investigated about you and your butler, I saw your elements were shadows," Aurora said as both of her hands were leveled to his mouth and connected them together.

Alistor crossed his arms and legs and said "And what will you do with this information? Frame us? use us? Manipulate us?"

"I never had such thoughts," Aurora said and stands up "You see, we have 5 kinds of common magic here, Wind, Water, Earth, And Air, those 5 magic are really easy to find, but you know where Shadow elements are categorized as magic?"

"Where?" Alistor asked.

"Legends," Aurora replied as she stands near the window.

"Legends?" Alistor said as he was in full curiosity.

"Legends are ones who have the rarest magic of all time, I was shocked myself when I investigated about you two, it only appear once in every thousand years," Aurora said as told Alistor. and Alistor asked "Other than Shadow magic, what were the others?"

"The others are Arcane, Spirit, Summoning, and destruction" She replied and continued "Destruction is the most dangerous one of all."

"I saw a book a few days ago with the title cover as legends, does this have to do with it?" Alistor said and Aurora replied "Yes."

[Chapter 5 End]