Chapter XX

Her optics glowed within the shadows, whilst her lustrous locks danced amidst the silent tune of the wind. The magician’s form was concealed within the shadows— her silhouette almost vague for the knights to comprehend.

She watched up front, letting her vision savor every single crevice of her homeland from the outside. Chest suddenly aching, both in pain and joy at the sight of the glorious nation.

Clementine was happy to be and be able to witness Sappherine in all its everlasting glory. However, her brain had only reminded her continuously of her mission, that hasn’t been done.

A deep breath, she took one to calm her rattled nerves— now stepping nearer to make herself be recognized. At the sight of her stature and a glimpse of the crest that was embroidered on her signature cloak, had the knights shouting at each other.

Order after order to open the entrance for the honorable lass. Their hasted movements as they scrambled to grab the large lever, had her wincing every now and then.

Rusted heavy chains, dangled and pulled made sounds that were too unpleasant for her ears. Albeit she deemed it an appropriate consequence, for her uncalled visit on the land in the midst of twilight.

“Lady Magician!”, a guard bellowed, rushed as he stumbled on both his feet to welcome the young lady. “We are deeply honored for gracing us with your presence”, he bowed. His voice shaky from rushing to escort her.

“Pardon me for the sudden intrusion”, Clementine smiled sheepish and low. Eyes glimmering in polite apology for the disturbance whom she had recently caused.

“No ma’am!”, He urged. “You are still a citizen of Sappherine, and will always be welcomed whenever”.

Though, she had never been convinced in the slightest. She knew that, had she not gotten the title of ‘Imperial Magician of Celeste’ and rank of ‘Second of the Four Supreme Magicians'— then this guard right here would’ve shooed her away regardless of her citizenship.

The gate would never have opened for her, if that’s the case.

She gave a faint nod to the knight’s assurance, allowing a small smirk to be witnessed by the former, before setting off. Pass the gate, she went.

Feet now vamoosing on cobbled grounds, only for her presence to disperse in a spiral of golden hue. The same churning and twisting sensation engulfed her senses, only dying out when her soles landed on cold marbled floor.

Clementine had appeared standing in front of an ornate door, her hand immediately fisted and aimed for a knock or two. Her mind wished for her friend to be awake even at this hour, yet a huge portion of her thought that it is unlikely for him to decline rest.

Her previous analysis was proven right when she heard a soft muffled groan from the other side, followed by sluggish footsteps as the person walked towards the entrance. The lass held her breath, now stiff on spot, as she waited for the door to be opened by her colleague.

Not a minute long, it busted open— forcefully pulled open by Alejandro himself, who had a perfect scowl etched on his face. His dusty gray hair was unruly, sticking up to many directions; clothes crooked and filled with creases.

And drool. . .was glittering on the side of his mouth.

She had to stifle back a chuckle at the sight, covering her mouth as she coughed at the back of her hand.

“It’s late”, Alejandro quoted, staring at her with that bright emerald jewels that bore holes in her head. Giving her the shivering chills that crawled its way on her spine.

“I came on urgent matter”, squeaked Clementine. Both hand held in front of her as a form of surrender— an initiative that she meant no harm and likely didn’t mean to disturb his peace.

“I’m not here to fool around”, the young lass added, calm.

“Seems so. What brings you here, anyway?”, he then inquired, gaze trained on a flickering candle that was situated on one of his so-many tables. A hand beckoning her to go inside his safe-place, while the other rested on the golden knob. “Though, I may have a hunch on what your reasoning is”.

“I came here to ask for your assistance”.

“Right. All connected to Florencius and his shit!”, the warlock cursed, half-exclaiming his statement. His porcelain toned visage flamed red, heart bursting in fire caused by anger and hatred.

He just lost it at the mention and thought of that stinky horrendous magician.

Red. He was red all over. Furious as he recalled on the momentum of seeing his childhood friend covered in crimson that stained her skin and clothes; silver hues closed, pale as paper, whilst she laid limp on the hands of Celeste’s crowned-prince.

“That bastard”, he continued, seething in rage as he practically slammed the door close. “He chose the wrong enemies to toy with”. Alejandro pressed, voice toning down into a bass; a pledge of threat.

Clementine had her mouth partly opened, a small gasp flying out of her pink-lips. Her large doe-like silver hues widened twice even more, brows raised high— expression visibly surprised.

She was frozen on place, the bottom of her loafers had seemed to paste themselves on the floor with super-sticky-glue. The mage hadn’t exactly seen him burst out of his bubble, he’s been depicted as calm-cool headed.

Seeing him in such state made her comprehend that her borderline death experience had shook the said lad. It triggered something within him; something heavily bottled close.

“You’re the only sister that I had”, he whispered, low and defeated coating each word.

The air surrounding them shifted into a silent ambiance of longing and pain. It wasn’t that of hard grave tension, but a melancholic one. He was straight up admitting to her how she meant to him; how he’s basically attached to her, brotherly.

Soft yet abrupt thumps echoed throughout the area made by her shoes while she approached the young man before her. Hands balled into fists, tight and white as they could get, before letting them uncoil, dangling weak on either her side.

Halting from her short slog, Clementine reached a good feet away from the downcast warlock, lips formed in what seems to be a ghost of appreciable calm grin. With her hands gently yet firmly crawling their way to coat him with warmth within her comforting embrace.

Though stunned at the sudden notion of affection from the white haired las, the one in her arms squirmed, finding it quite weird to be in a hug. He had never been engulfed with warmth before, head-pats had always been his sign of affection.

Being in this state was indeed relaxing, nerve-easing. However, his touch-deprived mind made it look like he was uncomfortable— which later on gave the mage a sign to retrieve her arms to its rightful place beside her.

Awkward tension then flowed inside the room, both of them trying their hardest to avoid each other’s gazes. Alejandro, on the other hand, was anxiously scratching his nape, head lowered as he tried his best to hide away the cerise tint that crept on his visage.

Clementine, on the contrary, was eyeing every sort of artifact within the enclosed space, observing them with much fascination that was obviously a fraud.

‘Well. . . That turned out rather unwell’.

Albeit, a sudden faint white glowing wisp then went pass the two of them, catching their attention. It dashex forth the opposite direction, ending up circling around Alejandro in speed.

This had the latter swatting it away in annoyance, grumbling as he scolded that substance and asked for it to tone down with a restrained sigh. It did, however, it came approaching the mage who observed it warily, prompting her to step back.

It started to glimmer even brighter than it had recently, the light shifting and contorting into a humanoid transparent form of a small little girl. The child wore a white dress filled with ribbons and ruffles, whilst her hair unknown of its original color were tied into twin tails secured by a ribbon.

And like any other apparition to exorcists. It stared up at her with captivating doe-eyes. The two of them continued that contact, with Clementine not knowing how to act around a spirit of a deceased child whom she isn’t acquainted to.

“Mariella! You’re scaring her”, Alejandro then bellowed, walking to shield the mage away from the prying gaze of the child. He grimaced at how the ghost child’s eyes shone in hope, as if telling him to give her some candy to boast on other apparitions.

“Leave her Mariella. We’re in the middle of something. Go annoy Travis”, the warlock pressed even more, trying his best to shoo the ghost away.

“No! Mariella doesn’t want to!”, and with that she wailed, crying as she indulged herself in a tantrum. The child stomp her tiny feet, again and again— the white swan plush toy within her clutches, now thrown at the warlock, who bended down to picked it up uncertainly from the floor.

“C-Calm down!”, Alejandro panicked, not really knowing how to handle a child in a tantrum. Heavens! He would never ever imagine of having a child in the future, they’re bloody too much of a nuisance.

“Mariella doesn’t want to meet Travis”, the child continued, sniffling. “I want my big sister to hug me like she did before!”.

‘My big sister. . .?’.

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[Hello! Pardon me for the sudden hiatus. I was trying to figure out my writing style these past few months. I'm really sorry for making you wait for the next update!]