Everything felt like a bliss after he kissed me. And images played inside my mind like slideshow. Names, places, events, and moments that I treasured the most came flooding back to me.
Michaelis.
My heart sang his name.
But as soon as the blissful moment was gone, I was dragged into reality. The miasma grew larger and this time, Michaelis' face is nothing but frustration and weariness. He must be tired. It's time to continue what I have started. I can't rely on Michaelis all the time to do the work for me. I looked at the miasma before extending my hand at Michaelis.
"My talismans," I demanded.
Michaelis immediately nodded and grabbed behind his kimono. A handful stack of papers with black ink came out of view. I hastily grabbed it and without a thought, I jumped out from a six-story building. I don't know how and I don't why. All I know is that I feel stronger right now than before. And it's overwhelming me, sending my heart to overdrive. I landed safely in front of the miasma, with both feet.
Without any further delay, I threw seven talismans in the air, chanting spells that I have no memory about. The talisman surrounded the monster, causing it to roar and whip it's smoke and mud covered claw towards me. Michaelis jumped and parried it away, as I continue to focus on the chant. The talisman slowly glowed white, blinding away the miasma. It shrieked and thrashed around.
"Begone!"
When I finished the chant, the talismans disappeared and the whole place shine ever so bright, eating away the darkness that the monster brought. It howled in pain as it tried to reach me, but only to be stopped by a white barrier. Slowly, the miasma started to shrink from its humungous size until it completely disappeared.
Sweats formed on my temple and labored breathing came rushing out of my lungs. I did it. I managed to purify. I exercised a miasma. As soon as it started to sink in me, my worry began to resurface.
"Lucas! Where are you?" I screamed.
I need to check if the boy is okay. Michaelis came beside me, his white kimono is as black as the night and scratches covered his left cheek and hands.
Lucas landed in front of me as he laid the boy gently.
"How is he?" I asked and immediately kneeled down to check on him.
His vitals were in check. He doesn't seem to be injured. Although, there is a few scratches on his elbow and ankle. Well, at least he's far from death's doorstep.
"I also found her mother, all the while you we're being kept busy," Lucas spoke.
I looked up with expectant eyes. Lucas pointed out to the side with his head, making me to look behind him. There stood a woman in her house clothes, trembling. She ran and hugged her child, cradling his head on her chest.
"Thank you, thank you so much. I wouldn't know what to do if I lose him," she cried.
Her feet looks sore. She must have left her slipper in a hurry in search for this child. Her eyes were red from crying. And I can see the mother's love in her. He's a lucky child. To have a mother.
"I'll take them back to their home, you should go. Michaelis is waiting," Lucas said as he scooped the child up.
I looked at Michaelis and found him glaring at Lucas. Ah, he's angry.
"See you then," I said.
He nodded and the woman thanked me again causing me to smile at her, before heading out.
"Ah, Lucas, wait," I called out.
"Yeah?" He stopped from his tracks.
"Why did you keep me?" I asked.
He looked at me and his eyes met mine. It wasn't the eyes of a mischievous Lucas. It was the eyes of someone with a clouded mind.
"It's as easy as abc. You're still my target, land god." He said before walking away completely.
I smiled. Target, eh. So he still wants to take my power away. Well, it's not that I expected him to forget that after receiving a confrontation from Michaelis. I stood up and suddenly, my mind went dizzy. Michaelis grabbed my arm, supporting my balance.
He quietly scooped me up with ease. I sighed as I leaned my head on his chest. As much as I dislike the idea, I can't bring myself to throw a tantrum. All the strength I had just a while ago left my body, living me limp and tired.
"Good job, defeating that monster."
A voice spoke.
I felt Michaelis stiffened and I sleepily looked at the source of the voice. There stood a man that looks like in his early twenties, in silver suit. A single red rose hang elegantly from his pocket. He smiled and took a step towards us. In his hand is of what looks like gold wooden cane.
"Hello, Nina."
His eyes met mine.
"Michaelis, it's been a while."
At the mention of his name, Michaelis' hold tigthened around me. I looked up and saw his troubled face. What's wrong?
"Regalia. To think you still have the guts to show your face in front of me," Michaelis hissed.
"Don't be that mad. If I haven't done it, you wouldn't met this aspiring land god," Regalia said.
"Michaelis," I whispered, hoping to gain his attention but he didn't look at me.
"Regalia, if you have business, I suggest you reschedule it," Michaelis said.
"Ah, you're the same as before. Not giving any space for unnecessary actions," he laughed.
"Well, I'm off. I'm just saying hello anyway. I will come at the day before the new moon. I shall deliver you a message."
He slowly disappeared together with the breeze of the night wind. Michaelis clicked his tongue as his brows furrowed, before heading out.
He walked silently as I listened on the beating of his heart. It's in a constant rhythm. I watched as the moon lit his features. The moonlight reflecting on his blue eyes is like silver. I could see the shadows created by his long eyelashes. He looks tired, after all. How long has it since I was gone?
"Michaelis," I called out.
He hummed a response, his chest vibrating.
"How long was I've been gone?" I asked.
"About a month." He replied.
Ah, that's quite long. From what I can remember, I was just a day from Hamelin's village and I didn't stayed at Lucas' place that long. No wonder he's so mad.
"What happened then?" I asked again.
He looked at me and arched his brow.
"What happened while I was gone?" I elaborated.
"Oh, it's quite busy. After seeing you sucked into a mirror I almost broke the damn thing. But I was hoping I could get you back if we use the mirror as an exit from who knows what world you're at, so I brought it back with me. Aka and Ao where in panic after hearing you disappaered. A few days after, that miasma appeared. It was actually to be expected. Without a presence of a god around, the holy place tends to get tainted. And as a familiar, I have to exorcise it myself since my god is not around. I was expecting I could, since the miasma is still weak while their fresh or in a state where they are still newly formed. But I didn't expect a rapid growth, so I ended up using all the spiritual energy I have, to exorcise it, until I realized that I couldn't. "
"Why?" I asked.
"I may be a divine familiar but I don't have any divinity or divine powers that other familiars have. I uses spiritual energy to fight off those miasma."
He explained.
"Is that why you made me exorcise that miasma?" I asked but it was almost like a faint whisper.
"Nina, it sounded like you have other questions to ask before that," he said; his eyes meeting mine.
I looked straight into his eyes. I wanted to ask, why he kissed me. Does he know that I'm in a state of amnesia not long ago?
"It's not actually that I made you fight it. I just gave you a little push. I have wasted a lot of energy cleansing the place and then I have a miasma to exorcise. This form's stamina isn't build up for that. I have to send you my spiritual powers because I know you're the only one capable of cleansing that thing. In order to do so, I must at least have a physical contact with you."
My hands reached out to my lips. Physical contact my ass. You were holding me back then. I think it's enough of a physical contact already. Michaelis you're lying. Suddenly feeling determined, I spoke.
"Then why did you kissed me?"
He went quite for moment before speaking up again.
"Oh that one. I have do something with your bindings. You keep telling me to let go, if that continues, I'll be forced to do what you say. So I just have to kiss you," he said nonchalantly.
My eyes widened at how he said those words indifferently. And somehow, I feel disappointed and stupid. Stupid for hoping that there is something hidden behind his actions. It was all just an act to protect a useless god like me. But I don't want it to end. I don't want this night to end. Because right now, I feel like Michaelis really cared about me. Those worried faces he made, and me being in his arms, it made me feel that I'm being love.
After hearing that, I didn't utter another word, because I wanted to believe or more specifically pretend that I've never heard his words. Even just for a while, let me believe that Michaelis cared for me, not as a god, but as Nina.
We arrived at the shrine, and at the moment Michaelis set his feet on the ground, Aka and Ao came flying straight us.
"Lady Nina! You're safe at last!" They both screamed.
"Aka, Ao, I'm home." I smiled.
They looked at me for a moment before bursting into tears.
"Please don't disappear like that ever again," Ao cried.
"You had us all worried," Aka said.
"I'm sorry. I'm never going to do that again," I said.
"Lady Nina!" They cried.
"There, there. That's enough. Aren't you happy that I'm home now," I cooed as I caressed Ao's head.
She's on a hysteria than Aka. Her tears were streaming down. Unlike Aka, he's holding his tears down as he sniffs so hard.
"We are. I am. " Ao mumbled through her hiccups.
"Then, show me that smile that says: Lady Nina, we're so happy you're back home!" I urged.
And they both nodded and plastered a wide smile on their faces as tears glittered on the corners of their eyes. I smiled.
"That's much better," I sighed.
Behind me, Michaelis laughed. I was instantly surprised. He laughed. It's the first time I heard him laugh.
"Come on, you two. Let Nina have her rest," he said.
"Aye!" Both Aka and Ao said with a salute.
Michaelis passed around them and proceeded towards my room. He closed the door with a soft click. The moonlight is penetrating though the window, giving light to my room. Michaelis walked towards my bed and gently laid me down.
"I'm sorry you have to carry me back home. You must be tired," I said.
The soft mattress touched my back.
"It's not a problem. I've already knew you'd be this strained after receiving it." He said as he placed his hand under my head and gently laid me on the pillow.
Come to think of it, he said he'll give the gift of the highest order. What does he mean by that?
"It? Which is?" I asked, confuse.
"My gift," he said as he sat down on the bed beside me.
"From what I can recall, you haven't given me any gift ever since, Michaelis," I said.
He sighed. I could see his troubled face under the moonlight.
"Are you really making me say it?"
"Say what?" I asked.
He sighed again as if he's about to reveal something so heavy.
"The kiss," he started.
At the instant mention of the kiss, my cheeks flared up and my heart started being rapidly.
"The kiss? You mean the kiss was your gift to me?" I asked as I felt embarrassment gripping my mind.
He nodded. I looked at him quietly. How should I react right now? My heart is pumping so wildly. The butterflies in my stomach are in berserk.
"The kiss was the seal for the contract. Although I also did it to silence you. It's like hitting two birds with one stone," he voiced out.
And as soon as I heard it, all the feelings instantly subsided. It felt like I was in a hot spring feeling the warmth and then I was automatically drenched with ice cold water.
"The gift of the highest order was a contract between a god and a familiar. Either one of us can initiate the contract. It is not the same as your contract with me before with the effects of absolute obedience. This is a contract where both party are to be connected and merged as one. It simple terms, we share the same fate. If something happens to you or you're in pain, I'll directly feel it too thrice the intense. So if it's painful for you, it'll be more painful for me. So from now on, I want you to be more careful. And also since, I initiated the contract without your consent, there could be a side effect."
We remained quiet as I stared blankly on the ceiling. My eyes are starting to close as I listened to his explanation. So the kiss was for sealing a contract. How stupid of me to think that it was his real intention. Ah, my heart aches.
"We shouldn't be separated or to be more precise, our distance against each other shouldn't exceed ten meters. If it does, I don't know what the consequences would be."
Another contract, another rules, and maybe another pretense from me. Maybe tomorrow with the new contract in mind, I would pretend that Michaelis is doing this because he cares for me. Ah, I'm so stupid. I laughed silently at myself. What a god I am.
As weariness started to run inside me, my eyes involuntarily close. Fatigue is winning over my mind as I felt him swift around.
I'm so tired that I can't keep my eyes open anymore.
A warm feeling brushed my forehead as I take my slumber.
"We'll never going to be separated again."