Anasthasia nodded, muttering under her breath, "Shall we get moving?"
"My apologies, Tasha." Michael shifted to the side, then they all walked towards the entrance.
Liam took the opportunity to open the door even with now sleeping Lucy cradled in his strong arms. He reached for the closest switch, which had the light flashed the room with its grace. Liam walked in, followed by Levi, who's helping Anasthasia, and lastly, Michael, who shut the door as soon as they all entered.
'This brightness seemed intense and rivaled the morning sun.'
Anasthasia squinted her eyes from the luminescence. She could only look away, glancing at the furniture, with the same kind, placed precisely the first time around, and the polished floors and walls brimmed with vigor.
'As though things happened earlier turned for naught.' She pondered in her thoughts, then sighed in silence.
"Levi, I'd like to take the couch over there."
He shifted his head, eyeing her with a cast of doubt, "I beg your pardon?"
"I'll be fine."
Levi blinked a couple of times and then faced Michael, who leaned by the wall overseeing the frosted, tempered glass window, which gave him a nod.
"If that's what you want." Levi helped her reach by the couch.
By the time she reached the couch, Levi slowly moved away, her arm on his neck, and then aided her as she positioned herself on it with comfort. Pressing down, she could feel how her body welcomed the supple and soft cushion. Her hands grazed over the velvet red-colored rayon fabric that covered the entirety of it. She could feel the subtle warmth that converged her body.
'I can feel like I'm steadily recovering. Is this an additional boon on this couch? Whatever that is, it only meant good news.'
Anasthasia crossed her legs. She grabbed the couch pillow, of the same style, then placed on her lap. She had her fingertips caress over the exquisite fabric.
"Thank you, Levi."
"You're welcome, Ana."
Seeing how Liam almost shuffled his way to the familiar path, Anasthasia quipped, "I think you need to move her here." At the same time, she patted beside the free space.
"No, we dare not to disturb you, Ana. It'll be better if I move Lucy in her room—"
"Don't! She'll wake up anytime soon."
"If that's the case, then I hope you won't mind." Liam drew close to her, and when he was about to put Lucy down, she blocked his advances.
"Silly! What are you doing?!" Anasthasia reprimanded from his doing, "I have a pillow here on my lap; it's alright."
Liam said nothing. Further, he had done what she said and moved back as he called it a day.
With that said, Levi chimed in, "I'll just prepare dinner—"
"Oh?" Her eyes glinted with amusement, continuing her speech, "You know how to cook?"
"Yes, I have been cooking so often for Lucy, especially when I have the free time to do so." Levi averted his gaze, scratching his nape.
"You three haven't eaten anything as well?"
This time, Anasthasia saw Liam, still carrying Lucy with ease, nodded and responded accordingly, "Soon as we have finished our duties, two of us decided to check on Lucy afterward."
"Then…" Anasthasia turned around, giving Michael a long face as she trailed off her voice,
"What about you, Michael?"
Michael always watched by the windows, crossing his arms as he leaned casually by the walls. He snapped out of it with her call and made eye contact, intense at that, replying, "Just got back from a long journey. I have other matters to deal with."
Anasthasia bobbed her head, then glanced back at Levi as she giggled. "Then, the 5 of us didn't eat dinner."
"I'll cook in a jiffy." Levi waltzed his way out of the spacious living room.
"Oh, Liam. May I ask a favor?"
"Please do tell, Ana."
"May you help me fetch on Fried? He's currently in the room, the one closest to the upstairs."
"Consider it done." Liam trudged right away, leaving the rest in the room.
Anasthasia leaned her back, savoring the feeling of comfort, while she propped her arm by the couch's arm—
'This is high-quality furniture and these wood edges here, pretty sturdy, I must say.' She thought of it as she tapped her fingers.
Anasthasia paid no mind about the awkward atmosphere, and she caught up with her ideas. She rummaged her pockets and obtained Seraphine and the pristine stone.
'Things got better for my part, am I lucky or what?'
She raised her arm, with Seraphine in her clutches, her eyes darted on its edges that sheened from the luminescence.
"So, what's that item all about?"
"This? It's called 'Seraphine.' Do you want to witness how I unleash its power?" She never took a glance at him as she hinted at him.
"Sure."
'Seraphine, let's go!'
Anasthasia giggled. She could feel a portion of her mana surged towards Seraphine, which beamed a white light. So white that it blanketed everything in her surroundings with nostalgic warmth.
But her eyes bore more profound to it. The dull surface revealed several cracks and disintegrated into shards. She then saw how the lines, found on every nook and crevice, channeled with fascinating energies.
By and by, it seemed to extend its length much comparable to a staff. The shards drifted upwards and coalesced into a special geometry, in which, by the tip, revealed a crystal prism. It hovered over the shaft and pair of small wings, near the prism, fluttered in graceful beat.
'I can still feel the warmth reverberations from it. Nothing has changed, tampered and whatnot.'
Not long enough, she looked around her and noticed their reactions. Levi walked out with his hair disheveled, glasses not aligned, and a little damp and crumpled apron. Liam, with Freidmirth of his embrace, had their eyes almost gouged out of their sockets while their mouths open. Lastly, Michael, who had his eye bulged, ruefully stunned in his place.
'What's with their faces? At least Lucy is sleeping—' She mumbled in her mind, as she took her gaze downwards, only to see Lucy's eyes sparkled with excitement.
'Maybe not…'
"Sister Ana, that's so beautiful?"
"Sister Ana?!" The men chorused, but Anasthasia hushed them at once.
"Yes, Lucy. It's called 'Seraphine'".
Lucy got up from her position, as she leaned forward, asking, "M—May I touch it?"
"Not yet, Lucy. I just made an initial configuration. I still need to work on this further, or else it will cause us more harm than good." Anasthasia shook her head, propping back her arm to the side.
"Yes, Sister Ana. I'll be waiting."
"Now, I'm inquisitive about how both of you encountered."
"Ohh! Ohh! My two big brothers are here! I'd be happy to tell you—" She grunted, curling as her stomach grumbled.
"Lucy, don't worry. I had already asked the aides to take in charge of cooking for dinner. It'll be ready anytime soon. I was worried about the intense thump in my body; my instincts began to claw me so deep that I had to rush back."
"Wait, you felt that too?" Liam inquired, which only garnered both of them such confusion.
"You're not alone," Michael answered.
"I also woke up by the feeling of it!" Lucy chirped from their reactions.
Anasthasia facepalmed, reflecting in mind, 'Goodness, how can I forget this staff's initial effect? I was so careless.'
"I'm sorry that I troubled everyone. I had 'Seraphine' activated prior to any further notice.'
Levi fixed his glasses. "You're telling me that one was the ceramic rod earlier?"
Anasthasia did nothing but flickered her eyes. Her silence confirmed that one hard fact. But she then ignored their reactions and continued to admire Seraphine's features. However, her face cracked when Lucy declared.
"Big brothers, I have good news to share! Sister Ana will be teaching me how to control my powers, officially!"
Anasthasia wailed, "Lucy—"
"Is that true?"
Anasthasia heard them croaked. She promptly shifted and revealed an icy stare at the twins, but thawed as they saw something from the reflection of their emerald eyes—a glint of hope and trust.
"This is one of the things I can offer as she made me stay in this place."
"Nothing else did Lucy offer?" Levi inquired, which earned him a shaking of the head from Anasthasia.
"Ana, we're willing to pay more than that—"
"Liam, don't worry. I don't need that much."
"Really? Thank goodness. Lucy will…" Liam had his voice turned to a whisper, looking away.
Levi drew a thin line on his lips as he watched them before uttering, "But you will need a magician's license if you plan to teach Lucy."
"Yes, I have heard that from her. Where do I find one?"
"We shall escort you tomorrow."
"Thank you, Levi."
"It'll be a tedious process." Michael huffed out, he broke free from his position and walked closer to Anasthasia, warning her.
"Are you up for verification?"