Special Officer

"I only want Percy Ashtein."

When Percy heard those words from her, he couldn't help but get chills up his spine. Now usually, he wasn't the type of person who would be nervous over a teenage girl, but Althea wasn't just any teenage girl.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked suspiciously.

"I only want to work with you. You still remember what I told you, right?"

Percy's thoughts drifted to the day she defeated a rook-rank warden by herself and dragged him for a private conversation.

"Vividly." he commented.

"Let's say I'll agree, but we need to learn more about you. What is your say in it?" asked the governor-general who was obviously interested at the turn of events.

"Fine. First of all, I'm not a wielder so you'll have to amend that one. I can't wield any relics unless under certain circumstances."

"But you defeated a rook-rank warden by yourself." Adonis pointed out. "You can wield lightning, you can fly, teleport and essentially manipulate the elements. It's either you have more than one relic or you have a very powerful relic."

"I don't have a relic. I'm not a wielder!" Althea exclaimed but she calmed herself. She knew she couldn't lose her cool. "People like me are called mages. Does it ring any bells?"

""Mages?"" asked everyone.

"Like witches and sorcerers and stuff?" Bea asked with a skeptical look.

"I remember we were called like that in the past, but we were called mages collectively."

"Althea, why don't you tell them what you told me. About Siela." Daniel suggested.

"Fine."

Althea was from a world called Siela. Just like earth, one of their major problems was being invaded by interdimensional creatures called wardens. Well Siela already had a monster problem and the wardens made it worse. To fight against the enemies, the gods gifted the citizens of the world weapons called relics and special individuals called mages. The relics had the power to slay the wardens and regular monsters. Mages were gifted the ability to perform magic, essentially they could fight wardens without the use of relics. Not everyone could wield a relic and not many could be mages either.

Althea was a mage from a long-line of a family of mages and she was pretty powerful. But even though she had all that magic and talent, the Warden King was still able to pass through the border that separated Siela from their world and ate their sun.

"Once the warden king ate our sun, it was game over." Althea said solemnly. "My grandfather helped me escape. He has this device under our house and said it will send me to a different world. I guess here I am."

"So fighting wardens have always been what you've been doing."

"Yes. Percy was the one who woke me up from my sleep and got me out of that ore orb. At the very least I want to fight with him."

"Very well." Frank said. The two doctors looked at him. They couldn't believe what he just said. "We shall discuss this and I shall inform the president of this matter. Miss Niadgel, Percy, please head outside."

Percy saluted and Althea just waved her hand, and the two exited the conference room. The ones who remained had a mixture of expressions; the two doctors looked confused but with a mixture of anticipation, Daniel looked amused and somehow he looked like he knew Althea would be having her way, and finally, Frank remained neutral.

"Did you hear all of that, Mr. President?" Frank announced which stunned the three people in the room.

From the corner of the screen, another window enlarged and a man in a white long sleeve appeared. He looked to be in his middle thirties with a handsome look and regal aura. The man was the president of the Philippines, Teodoro Montenegro III. He was also a former commander of the Philippine Air Force and most importantly, his mother was the younger sister of Isagani Ashtein, which made him cousins with Governor-General Frank Ashtein and an uncle to Daniel and his siblings.

The three immediately stood up; the two doctors bowed and Daniel saluted.

"At ease. Now then, Miss Niadgel sounds like a very promising warrior." Teodoro commented. "Did she really help slay a knight-rank warden with Percy and destroyed a water-based rook-rank warden by herself?"

"Yes sir. I saw her in action via live feed." Daniel replied.

"Hmm… What do you think Frank?"

The Ashtein Family had always been tight-knitted and the members, whether they belong to the main family or not, had their very own achievements in many fields. Teodoro's and Frank's relationship in particular were close since they grew up together.

"I think we should agree with her proposal. I'm not entirely sure what her plan is since she made it sound like we have all the advantage, but she will be useful."

"I thought so too. The World Council is already dreading the return of the wardens and now they will be attacking in random times which make everyone on edge." Teodoro sighed. "We will need more firepower especially someone who slays wardens on a regular basis."

"I shall integrate her in the military under my forces then." Frank said.

"Give her the title of special officer with the same authority as the lowest ranking members of Zero Squad. Daniel, give her Level 7 clearance."

"I will do the necessary actions."

"Good. Now, I have a meeting with the Secretaries of the Departments of Education, Agriculture, Health, and Science and Technology in thirty minutes. Don't forget to submit a written report of what happened during the warden attack and what we just decided."

"Yes sir!"

Teodoro's video got turned off and Daniel faced his father.

"Dr. Cabigas, Dr. Orquez, collect blood samples and do the necessary tests on Miss- no, Special Officer Niadgel and input it in the database."

""Yes governor-general.""

"Dismissed."

The conference shut off and Daniel looked at the two scientists. "Remember, you can't lock her up."

"Am I the only one who thinks this is too suspicious?" Bea exclaimed. "Her deal is too good to be true."

"Maybe she likes Percy since he was the one who freed her." Daniel replied.

"No, there's something else and I'm going to find out."

Daniel just sighed. He knew he shouldn't play favorites but he couldn't explain it himself but he thought he could actually trust Althea. Her intentions might've been quite vague but he knew it would be clear soon.

Meanwhile, after Althea and Percy exit the conference room, they walked towards the harbor where Althea left Ash and Grey under Kitty's care. The two were walking side by side.

"Why didn't you tell them about what you told me?" Percy asked skeptically.

"About what?"

"About being a candidate to be the Relic King."

"Hmm… That's not something you can just tell any of them." she stopped in her tracks and faced him. Percy instinctively stepped back but Althea stepped forward and their faces were only inches apart.

Althea was a foot shorter than Percy but somehow, the teenage girl could make him nervous.

"Why did you do that?" Althea asked.

"Do what?"

"Why did you step back?"

"Because you stepped forward." Percy answered. "And it just surprised me."

"Oh."

All of a sudden, an image popped up in Percy's mind. It was the memory of Althea kissing him after she emerged from the ore orb. He wasn't aware of it, but his face flushed red and his ears were of the same shade.

"Why are you so red?"

"This position is sort of embarrassing?" he said but it sounded like a question which totally confused and unnerved him.

"Right. Sorry." she distanced herself with a carefree smile. "About what you just asked, for now let's keep that information between us."

"Why?"

"Because it's dangerous? And it can cause all sorts of trouble and unwanted attention." she pointed out. "What do you think will happen when people find out that there is a Relic King, someone who can command all relics regardless of their wielders' will?"

Percy paused and thought for a moment. He tried to think of an effect if information of a Relic King did get spread. His conclusion was… it was a bad thing.

"All governments will do everything they can to get their hands on the Relic King, no matter what methods they use." he answered.

"Exactly." she continued to walk and Percy immediately followed her. "There are a total of five Relic King Candidates just as there are five mages from different origins, but only one candidate can become the King."

"How does that even work?"

"I knew about it but I forgot. I need time to remember."

"It's going to be troublesome isn't it?" Percy asked in a tone of disbelief.

"It sure is. And whether you like it or not, I'm your mage and you're my candidate. We're like two peas in a pod."

Percy only sighed.

"Let me tell you something about me then so you'll stop getting depressed."

"You already revealed you're a mage."

"Yes, but unlike what I said back there, I actually have a relic." Percy looked at her with wide-eyes. "But my relationship with my relics is unlike what wielders have with their own relics."

"How?"

"Just because I have relics, I am not considered a wielder. I'm a master and my relics are called familiars."

"Huh?"

"It's Ash and Grey, they're my familiars. And they're living breathing relics with limitless potentials."

Percy stared at the silver haired mage in disbelief. He just heard a very shocking discovery.