We Are Avengers (2)

Chapter 24: We Are Avengers (2)

I must admit that I do blurt questions without thinking whenever I'm flushed. Most of the time my questions are fine. They help divert the attention to someone other than my flushed face. There are times when I make things worse, but not this kind of worst.

The silence was deafening. I could almost hear everyone's heartbeat.

No one talked but I could see it in their face. The uncertainty and awkwardness, the way Mr. Jareth's eyes turned circle, the way Ms. Alderei's hand slightly crumpled the paper that she was holding, the way Mr. Celestino's gaze turned to Mr. Willard, the way Sir Killian's body stiffen beside me, and the way Mr. Willard looked so down.

I wanted to growl and grab my hair in frustration. I would have done it if the silence was not this silent and if my bosses were not here agonizing over how to answer my question.

"Uh, you don't have to answer that Mr. Willard." I tried to chuckle, hoping to lessen the tension in the air, but of course, I ended up coughing and reaching for the bottled water.

Sir Killian reached the bottled water first. He opened it and gave it to me. I gulped it down until there was no water left in the bottle anymore.

"Oh well." Mr. Celestino smiled, "we should move to a very special part. Why are we called 'The Chosen'."

"We are tasked to protect the human and supernatural from each other. We are sort of the mediators between the two.

Six positions can be supernatural or human, we still don't know what are the requirements that they look for though it's still a mystery." He took a deep breath before continuing.

"The Mind, The Wall, The Time, The Heart, The Power, and The Beat." He said and he looked at me.

My face must look confused right now. Their titles are weird and I can't even laugh because of how serious they are. Really? The Beat? Does the beat make beats for music? The only thing that sounded okay was The Power. The power probably has superpowers or something.

All the awkwardness that I created earlier evaporated. I was thinking of a more fancy title like 'The Seeker' or 'Iudex' or some fancy name that would suit them.

I tried to not laugh, but I wasn't able to hold it in and a chuckle came out from my mouth which I immediately stopped with my hands.

"I'm sorry," I said and a smile slipped through my lips when I tried to be serious. "I'm sorry but those names are—they sound very laughable."

"I agree that it is." Mr. Celestino smiled. "When we were kids we always laughed and teased the titles of 'The Chosen'. Our ancestors did badly at naming them."

"They are better now, they were changed because of a ruling from the oracles because no one takes the name seriously." Mr. Willard said.

The names were worse before? I wonder how bad they sounded that there is a ruling to change it.

"How bad was it?" I asked.

"The Power was once called The Hands." Sir Killian said while shaking his head. "It was a headache whenever they put that title after my name whenever there's a formal gathering." He said as if remembering an unpleasant memory his face contorted into a mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.

"Killian Harth, The Hand, Heir to the House of Harth, The Prince of house Hervé, Militaru General of-" Mr. Jareth was cut off when a ballpen flew towards him.

"You were called a hand?" I asked and laughed.

The handsome and muscular man beside was once called a hand. And here I thought he never felt embarrassed in his life. Because most people with good looks often are confident and are rarely embarrassed.

"Stop laughing." He said seriously but his eyes were too soft for me to take his warning seriously.

"Please continue sir," I said and looked at Mr. Celestino.

"Well, we shall start with me." He smiled at me, "Guess who I am."

"The mind? You're the CEO." I said reluctantly. "I'm guessing that you're the leader."

The mind is the main part of the body. It can't be transplanted because it is the mind and the mind makes up us, our memories. The CEO of a company is the head of the corporation. And Mr. Celestino seems to be a smart and perceptive person. He wouldn't be the CEO if we weren't the best.

"You're right about that. Well, the CEO title gives it away." He smiled. "But I'm not the leader. I'm just merely the advisor, the strategist. You see, there is no leader title with us.

The Mind is the strategic architect, the one who possesses knowledge and thinking that surpasses everyone."

Mr. Celestino seems like a very smart man. He looks like he has experienced thousands of things and his eyes were always observing and thinking.

"It suits you well sir," I said.

"Well, I just think and read. Nothing special." He smiled at me I don't believe your expression. "Enough about me, we should talk about the most important person here." He said and smiled at Ms. Alderei.

"Irene, guess what is the role of Ms. Alderei."

I looked at Ms. Alderei who was already looking at me. Her eyes are challenging and proud.

"The heart? The heart sounds powerful." I said confidently.

"Wrong." Mr. Celestino said.

I frowned.

"The heart is important but the most important is the wall." He walked towards Ms. Alderei. "Zephrine is the most important among any of us. She casts a border that protects the humans and supernatural from each other." 

"Her borders are invisible and it keeps the humans away from the supernatural world and vice versa. The wall is one of the toughest jobs."

"How does it work?" I asked curiously.

"Well, I can show you. Though you've already experienced it before." Ms. Alderei got up from her seat.

"I'm sure I haven't experienced it before though" I insisted but got up excitedly to meet her.

Is this a new out-of-this-world experience again? If it's not as bad as teleporting then I'm here for it. 

"You did. In the woods." Ms. Alderei said.

I stopped in my tracks and remembered. The heavy rain, the tree, the blood, the start of the chaos. I remember now.

"The day I got lost in the woods," I said, eyes wide.

"Yeah, you bumped into a tree. It was supposed to transport you near the dorms but it transported you inside the border." Ms. Alderei looks stressed as she says, "It was a real headache for me. I thought something was wrong with my barriers."

"How did I even end up in that forest with glowing mushrooms?" I asked incredulously.

Ms. Alderei didn't say anything, she looked focused as she moved her hand around. The next thing I knew, I was walking towards her and when she snapped I was already at the other side of the room.

I blinked and looked at Ms. Alderei who was just in front of me.

"Wow. That was cool!" I exclaimed.

"I know right!" Mr. Jareth second, his eyes shining brightly as his gaze shifts between me and the place where I was before.

Ms. Alderei was smiling proudly, then a glowing spot of light suddenly appeared on the that is laid in the table. It's what she was looking at so intently since I came in. My eyes widen, amazed at the glowing light from the paper. 

"I can't believe you can light papers like that!" I exclaimed as I walked towards the paper. 

Ms. Alderei was now looking at the paper intently but the others were looking at me, shocked and in awe, except for Mr. Jareth because he was looking at me with a jealous eyes. 

"It would've been nice to be able to see that too." Mr. Jareth said. 

"You can't see the paper sir?" I asked, confused.