Chapter 159

Vorbuk slowly pulled out the stone and held it in the air to show her. Before he had a chance to react Mai grabbed the stone and pulled it away. Looking it over more closely as she felt the dark mana trying to escape from it. The magic used to seal the lich within it had been done nearly perfectly. Though it was still easy to tell that the person who had done it could still be considered as inexperienced with such high level magic.

"Can you help me?" Vorbuk asked cautiously. He knew a light mage was best for purifying things in this situation.

"I can," She replied before adding on without looking at him. "However it wont be easy."

"I can't pay you." Vorbuk felt like she wanted to ask him for money by the way she worded her response to him.

"Whoever said I wanted your money?" Mai sighed at the way he made her sound so materialistic.

"Then what do you want in return?" Vorbuk asked.

"I want to meet the one who pulled off such magic." She stated while smiling at the stone.

"Why would you want to meet with Zoe?" He could not understand her interest in her.

"It's not every day you can see someone who has studied just ancient things among those of us who can use light mana. You can simply consider it out of curiosity." She had a sense of longing in her gaze as she thought about it. Someone else besides herself who has light mana and instead of hiding somehow self studied as well. For Zoe it was a given that she was self taught because outside the temple light mages lives were always at risk, therefore they kept themselves hidden.

Mai did not live with such risks because she was protected at the temple by her own father. Those that served the temple were loyal to him and would never put her at risk. She admired light mages like Zoe who struggled to move forward on their own. Mai could be considered stronger but she knew that Zoe was someone who's will to live was probably more then her own.

"Alright." Vorbuk agreed to allowing her to meet Zoe. It was difficult to see the harm in them meeting. If anything he could only consider it possibly being a good thing for Zoe to meet someone who was a light mage like herself. Mai was not weak so if things went well Zoe could even gain more from the encounter.

After hearing Vorbuk comply with her request she began to head towards the water. Rather then walking across the bridge she slowly descended into the water itself. The water was high enough to wrap around Mai at her waist. It was cool and refreshing to the touch as if it welcomed her.

As she lowered her hands the stone was placed atop them. Lowering til the stone was completely beneath the water. A black light began to struggle from stone as unknown words escaped her lips like a whisper. It was clear from a golden glow around her hands that she was struggling against the dark mana that was trying to break free. Just watching the process was enough to make even Vorbuk feel the exhaustion it took on Mai.

Time passed by and he could not tell how long the process took til the black light was gone and all that shone was a beautiful white stone. It seemed as though the stone had turned to white marble. A feeling of cleanliness and warmth could be felt from it.

Mai handed the stone over to him as she approached him with a proud smile on her face. Exhaustion hidden in her gaze.

"As I promised." She said as if reminding him to keep his own word.

"Of course-" Vorbuk started to speak before flinching.

His arms moved to catch Mai Lovette as she stumbled for a moment on her feet from the overwhelming exhaustion.

"Are you alright?" He asked while confirming that she was able to stand back up on her own.

"I am just a little exhausted." She responded.

"Mai, what are you doing here?" The cold tone of Johan Lovette could be hear coming from a distance as they turned to see him walking into the temple. His brow twitching at the sight of his daughter near Vorbuk.

"I was only helping him purify an object, father." Mai gave her father a kind smile as he walked over and hugged her protectively.

"Purification.. Why don't you head to bed you must rest after doing something so troublesome." Johan understood the toll that such things took on his daughter's condition.

"Yes, father." Mai gave Johan Lovette and Vorbuk a bow before turning to leave silently.

"You-" Johan started to speak as he made sure his daughter was a good distance away and could no longer hear him.

The pope's actions and words caught Vorbuk's attention.

"Even if you are the guardian chosen for the realm my daughter is off limits for you." Johan's voice was cold and direct. There was no warmth to his words.

He was a father before he was a pope.

He was a mortal before he was a messenger.

Johan Lovette took a heavy inhale from his pipe and exhaled deeply. His daughter would always come first no matter who it was.

"You know? Wait... You knew?" Vorbuk could not understand what he was hearing. Someone else was aware of the mark that he was given.

"I'm the pope." Johan Lovette scoffed in disbelief at Vorbuk's reaction.

Johan was the pope. A messenger for the gods among the mortal realm. He worked closely with unknown numbers of gods from the higher realm. There was little chance that he could not recognize someone that had been marked by a god. He was one of the people most knowledgeable about the gods. Though he could not give away just any information he wanted without the god's consent. It was a form of protection for the gods that he could not speak of information they did not permit him to.

He could tell by the look on Vorbuk's face that the wolf had little understanding about his own mark. It made him feel a bit of pity towards him. The gods always acted in ways that they wanted with little regard towards the opinions of the mortals. When he looked at Vorbuk he could only be reminded of that as he understood that the wolf had been given no explanation. He had no understanding to at least very little.

I can't even tell him everything about it either. Johan thought to himself as he understood he had to say something to Vorbuk. If he let it slip that he knew and gave him nothing at all it would only cause a rift between them that was not required he thought.

"How about a drink?" Johan muttered the question as he turned to head towards his own room among the temple. He could already feel the weight of the conversation he was bound to have with Vorbuk. The information he could give him would be something Vorbuk would want to pull from him so he could only take the lead and at least drink while they spoke in the comfort of his room.

"... Sure." Vorbuk could only agree as he followed after Johan. He was not sure what the pope was thinking about. In his mind he could only consider the possibilities of what he might learn. Whether it would be a useful bit of information for himself or not. No matter what he could learn about while at this temple at the moment while he was there it would all be beneficial in its own way.