CHAPTER 7: Awe and Danger
[{The Incident of the Failed Ritual}]
The middle-aged priestess who conducted the failed ritual on Castiel hurried down the hallway of the Council of Elders. The council oversees all mystical and spiritual matters in certain parts of the Mahargical Kingdom. These elder priests are under the leadership of the Archbishop of Sanctia Gratia.
Inside, the air smelled of old paper and incense. Her heart pounded as she recalled the events of the failed ritual. She began to report the strange occurrences. She narrated each detail to the elder priests with a trembling voice, filled with a mix of awe and fear.
"Honorable Elders,"
She began, her voice quivering,
"I stand before you with a heart heavy with dread. The ritual... failed in ways we have never witnessed. The child—his power—it's beyond our comprehension, beyond anything we've ever known. He—he defied the very laws of magic."
The power of the mysterious child could alter their understanding of magic and spirituality. They had no idea that this was just one of the child's abilities. Nevertheless, the events were truly shocking because no one in the Mahargical kingdom possessed such powers.
Elder Miriam, the head of the council, listened intently to the report, her eyes narrowing with concern.
"This matter is most troubling. We must tread with caution, for we are dealing with forces unknown. We cannot afford to act recklessly."
Elder Tobias, known for his wisdom, nodded, his brow furrowed in thought.
"Indeed, Miriam. Such power... it could either illuminate our path or lead us into shadows darker than we've ever imagined. We must learn more before we take any decisive action."
After their meeting, the council decided to call in the Shadow Mercenaries, skilled investigators of unusual situations related to magic. They tasked them with investigating the individual. The Shadow Mercenaries quickly moved to begin their mission.
---
[{The Mission of the Shadow Mercenaries}]
The Shadow Mercenaries moved silently, carefully following the footsteps of their target. They were already experts in such tasks, making this situation nothing new to them.
The trail led them to the forest. They were led by Kael, a veteran mercenary with sharp instincts and a reputation for getting the job done, no matter the cost. With him was Mara, an expert in magical artifacts and runes; her mind was always analyzing and calculating.
Behind them were Riven and Lyra, both skilled in combat and assassination. Riven, pragmatic and focused, kept his emotions in check, while Lyra, ever cautious, relied on her keen senses to detect danger before it struck. They had completed many missions together, so they were confident that this new mission would be quick.
They arrived at a clearing in the middle of the forest and were surprised by what they saw: a large mansion with engravings they had never seen before.
Kael raised his right hand, signaling them to stop.
"Hold. This isn't in the briefing."
He murmured, his voice low and commanding.
"We proceed, but stay sharp."
Using a small telescope, Mara studied the engravings, her eyes narrowing as she traced the ancient symbols.
"These runes... they're ancient. Protective wards, older than anything in our records."
She whispered, a mix of awe and curiosity in her voice.
"We need to document this carefully."
Riven, ever the pragmatist, kept watch over their surroundings, ensuring no one saw them.
"Wards or not, we have a job to do. Let's stay focused."
He said it, his tone clipped and professional.
Lyra, with her senses on high alert, detected a faint sound that only those with keen hearing could pick up, coming from the mansion.
"Something's off. There's a melody. It's almost like it's luring us."
She whispered, her voice tinged with unease.
The group stopped at a nearby spot where they could hide and silently observed. They noticed shadows moving in the windows.
Lyra whispered very softly.
"These people, whoever they are, seem very cautious."
Mara also whispered as she enhanced her senses.
"The energy from this place is strong. We need to document everything."
Kael, who had been serious all along, whispered in a very serious tone,
"We need to gather more detailed information. This mission is no joke. Stay focused."
They sensed that the mansion was a place of ancient knowledge and powerful magic.
Sweat formed on Mara's forehead as she whispered again,
"What we're witnessing is extremely rare."
Kael nodded.
"Our mission is crucial, but we also need to be extremely careful."
The group continued to observe, their nerves taut as they waited for the right moment to act.
---
[{The Concerns of Helene and Arthur}]
When the father and son returned from the failed ritual, Arthur immediately reported all the details to Helene. Both were extremely worried about what might happen, as their worst fears seemed to be starting to come true.
For days, they had been unable to sleep soundly since Castiel's failed ritual. They couldn't shake off their fears. But they were unaware of the secret surveillance happening around them.
One morning, while Castiel was playing outside their mansion, he noticed strange figures hiding in the shadows. His curiosity piqued, and he decided to confront them. He approached them quietly without revealing himself. The mercenaries were unaware that Castiel would suddenly surprise them.
He cheerfully greeted them from behind.
"Hey! What are you all doing here? Are you playing hide and seek? You know, mosquitoes love hiding places like that!"
He gave them a sweet smile,
"Aren't you getting bitten by mosquitoes there?"
The mercenaries were startled.
Due to their strict protocol that they must eliminate anyone who discovers their mission, Riven quickly attacked Castiel, but a strong barrier appeared, blocking the attack.
The dagger Riven used was shattered into pieces, his eyes widening in shock.
[Boron Barrier Unlock]
The familiar voice echoed in Castiel's mind, declaring the unlocked skill.
He stepped back slightly due to Riven's attack, as he didn't expect it. But he smiled again at the mercenaries, as if nothing had happened.
"Oh, do you want to play?"
The mercenaries remained frozen in shock.
Sweat formed on Riven's forehead, and he tried to speak, but his tone was shaky.
"W-What is this? How is this possible?"
The leader of the mercenaries became desperate. Despite his fear, he tried to push it aside.
"You can't report this. Kid, sorry, but this is the end for you."
He immediately attacked the child, using one of his strongest spells.
"FLAMEBURST!"
But Castiel's barrier blocked it again. A powerful explosion occurred. Thick smoke covered the area where he stood.
[Divine Heat Resistance Unlocked]
The familiar voice echoed again in his mind.
As the thick smoke gradually cleared, revealing the smiling child without a single scratch on his body, the mercenaries' faces showed extreme shock.
Their bodies trembled with a mix of fear and anxiety. Kael, the group's leader, fell to the ground; his knees weakened.
He stammered,
"What kind of creature are you?"
He wet his pants as his fear overwhelmed him. Mara and Lyra quickly moved to pull him away to escape.
"Retreat!"
Castiel was delighted by the reactions of the fleeing mercenaries. In his innocence, he even waved at them.
"Goodbye! Come back again! Bring more cool tricks next time!"
Due to the loud explosion, Arthur and Helene were alarmed. They quickly ran to the source. They found traces of the explosion and their smiling child.
Helene, extremely worried, immediately hugged her child.
"Oh, my sweet child, are you hurt? What happened out here?"
Arthur quickly examined their child's body.
"Are you hurt?"
Castiel laughed happily as if nothing had happened, then explained,
"I was just playing with my new friends."
Arthur and Helene looked at each other, feeling a chill.
Helene's voice shook as she asked her child,
"N-new friends? What do you mean?"
Castiel pointed at the mercenaries, now far away and escaping.
Arthur clenched his fist as he watched the fleeing mercenaries.
"They've begun to move, Helene. We can't let our guard down any longer."