Ned's dark clothes didn't show the blood stains on them, but Garrick ran towards him when he realized there was a pool of blood underneath where Ned stood.
"What the hell happened here Ned? Are you Hurt?! Was that your blood?" Garrick asked fast while checking every inch of Ned's body, "Rick!... I'm fine, I'm fine I swear!" Ned replied smiling reassuringly at Garrick.
Garrick looked Ned in the eyes as if he doesn't believe he what he said, and he was right to assume Ned lied especially when he noticed a tear in Ned's shirt that Ned tried to hide.
Ned tried to pretend he was okay mainly because he felt guilty, he just used what Tacito told his son against him, in order to get Yurei off his back, and it made him feel like he ratted Tacito out.
Ned had promised Jasper he won't tell anyone what he knows, since he himself promised Tacito.
The Shy white-haired young man was hoping he'd find a perfect moment to tell Yurei, that they were after the wrong guy for revenge.
But Ned took that opportunity away from Tacito in order to save himself the trouble of dealing with Yurei's rage, and he knows how much it hurts to hear the Truth from someone else.
So, After reassuring Garrick, Ned left Garrick standing there and walked towards Tacito, hurrying with each step he took.
"Taci, are you okay?" Ned asked.
"Jasper promised me." Tacito said, his red-eyes were narrowed and glistening with tears.
"Listen it's not Jasper's fault, nor yours.
I take full responsibility since I used my ability on Jasper, that's how I knew what you told him.
And I'm sorry that Yurei had to find out this way Taci...can you see this gap in my shirt? Yurei just stabbed me!
here, take this... it's his bracelet I'm wearing, I used it to heal myself." Ned replied taking Yurei's bracelet off to try and give it back to Tacito.
Ironically he was met with refusal, as Tacito Declined taking the bracelet, "I don't...want it." Tacito replied walking away from ned, "And Leave me...alone...leave US alone." he Added, getting into his car.
"Tacito! wait!" Ned spoke tapping on the window, but he got ignored while Tacito started the engine.
"Let him be Ned, you've fucked up and it's over." Matilda spoke dragging Ned away from the brown vehicle, "HEY! let go of me you!" Ned shouted unable to escape her grip as she dragged him effortlessly.
"What is going on?! who are all of these people?!" Stella whispered to her friends, "It's best if we try not to interfere in this!" Yuuya whispered back, "Yuuya is right, let's retreat and act as if we weren't here at all!" Agu said helping Kimberly up.
"You Four! stop right there!" Ned spoke up startling the group, he was free of Matilda's grip now, "I'm sorry again for ruining your day, forgive me." Ned said bowing to them.
Shaking her hands, "Nnnnonono! it's okay, we were leaving anyways! Right guys?!" Kimberly spoke embarrassed, she glanced over at Garrick to see him still standing in his place, confused as ever.
The FBI trainee stood watching the pool of blood next to his feet, it made him feel Angry to think someone managed to harm Ned but at the Same time confused, by why he was feeling that way.
Garrick's attention was swayed a little by Tacito finally leaving in his car, it brought him back to reality.
"is it weird that no one else came to the parking lot? other than us? no security no doctors no shit." Stella asked ignoring her friends plea to just go, " Ah! you noticed, it's the effect Magic has on ordinary people." Ned replied to her.
...A week later...
"There's some temporary spells that mages can use to hide themselves, especially if they're fighting amongst each other.
For an example, there's this one spell!
Let's say two mages are at a popular spot, it's a place frequented by people usually, so fighting there will attract unwanted attention.
By casting this specific spell, it will cause people to unwillingly and unconsciously forgot the existence of that place, so they'll avoid it without knowing they are avoiding it! And the mages can have that place to themselves. " Socorro explained to an Awed Lucius.
The two were sitting across from each other, talking and chatting while waiting for Muriel to come to his office.
For some reason both of their bosses were running late, and it something that Muriel didn't do often.
Socorro tried contacting him, but Muriel responded each time with a text saying he was on his way.
Lucius who showed up an hour ago by alone without Thorn, his boss, was also not a good sign.
And since Both assistants came by themselves, they decided to pass Time by having a conversation.
It was awkward and shallow at the beginning, sitting in the waiting area at the lobby, talking about work.
Both assistants were introverts with social anxiety, but soon they found a point where they started talking comfortably and realizes that they shared some similarities.
"Wow!...wait! how long does that sorta spell usually lasts for?" He asked.
"It can last for a half-hour tops, most of these spells last about Half an hour.
it is better to cast them than trying to teleport the fight somewhere else, Plus there's a chance that your enemy isn't going to always wait untill the Coast is clear...plus innocent people can easily get caught up in your business."
"Can some people be unaffected by the spell? like still head to that place?"
"Certainly, other equally strong mages can see through the illusion, or for example the people who have a certain relationship with the mage that casted the spell can see through it too, there's even people that are born with certain levels of immunity to magic!
Despite how good any spell can be, there's no spell that's perfect!
Take for example the fact that all spells need a specific amount of mana energy to be casted, sometimes it's a big amount!"
"But Miss Belmonte, using such a spell at first, does is not consume lots of your stored mana? it would be a dire situation to start a fight on a low energy reserve." Lucius said.
"Yes Lucius it would be, but however! draining your mana quickly is something that can be dangerous to happen before a battle, and especially without being able to have a rest, like sleeping and eating which are the traditional ways to raise your mana level back to normal rate, because normally you wouldn't be able to rest during a fight.
And Using your mana at first to hide the fight from the public's eyes, could be you own downfall if you're the type to lose mana quickly.
However and as countermeasures! your mana can still be refilled via other methods during the battle, like stealing your opponent's mana!" Socorro explained.
"Stealing mana! That's something I wish to learn!" Lucius said enthusiastically.
"Hehe! I would be happy to teach you! well, as long as you don't use it on me afterwards." Socorro replied chuckling.
"Practice makes perfect! how would I learn then? if I don't use it on someone?" Lucius said chuckling with her.
"Change of subject! Since they're running late...have you noticed how weird our bosses act around each other? lately I'm getting the feeling that something happened between them" Lucius added.
"Yeah, They're both running late at the same time, it's suspicious." Socorro replied frowning a bit.
"Maybe they're finally dating hehe!" Lucius said smiling at the thought, the new assistant Already knew that his boss was smitten by Muriel.
"Oof! that would be the news of my life! if only those two realize how cute they are together! they remind me of Early Bird And night owl!" Socorro replied fangirling.
"Oh yes! two polar opposite that keep bumping into Each Other by fate." Lucius said chuckling again.
The two were enjoying each other's company but that fun came to an end, when the sounds of an argument reached their ears.
"Wait? what's going on!" Socorro stood-up in a hurry, " I heard that as well?! that was my Boss's voice!" Lucius said standing on his feet.
"Muriel for fuck's sake! WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP IT!" Thorn called after Muriel.
"Would it kill you you bloody idiot to leave me ALONE! I cannot deal with this anymore! you are causing me more trouble than I can HANDLE!" Muriel Shouted while still stomping towards his office.
"At least tell me what I did wrong Muriel?! why you angry all the time at me! did I hurt you in any way?"
"BLOODY HELL ARE YOU DEAF NOW!! I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE! GET THE HELL OUT OF MY BUILDING THORN!"
"WHAT IS GOING ON?! you were perfectly fine few days ago?!"
" I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU AND TAKE YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH YOU AS WELL! OUT OF MY OFFICE! YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT THE MOVIE, YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING, I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOUR FACE... EVER!"
Socorro and Lucius were dumbfounded, just few steps from them, where their bosses screaming at each other.
It wasn't a rare sight for them to argue but it never got this heated, It looked as if Muriel would kill Thorn at any moment.
"Go back to your positions, if I find anyone not working, they'll get fired!" Socorro chased after the passing-by employees that stuck around to watch the fight.
She managed to push everyone back to work, although few heads did try to continue watching the two bosses arguing.
"Please both of you head to the office!! you are making a scene!" Socorro Said trying to push Muriel and Thorn to go into the office, but it was pointless.
Lucius was too stunned to speak, he was shaking in his place, he didn't want to be a part of this drama.
"I will only go to my office after he leaves!" Muriel stated folding his arms.
"I can't believe this! and here I thought things were getting better between us...Guess I thought wrong!" Thorn replied in a shaky voice.
"There is nothing between us Thorn."
"What about what happened huh? it all started that Day! don't tell me there's nothing between us Muriel?!"
"My biggest mistake was sleeping with you that day!" Muriel said looking away, Lucius gasped loudly at this confession, the new assistant glanced at Socorro who's eyes went wide open, " I'm sorry who's slept with who? what is going on here?!" she asked, she had no idea what was unfolding in front of her.
"You know what?! you're right Muriel, for the past two years falling in love with you, was my biggest mistake!" Thorn replied angrily, making Lucius gasp again, Socorro on the other hand couldn't believe Thorn just admitted he had feeling for her boss.
His confession didn't just take her and Lucius by surprise, Muriel's ears didn't believe it either, despite that he could feel the honesty in his words.
"What are you talking about?"
"I love you Muriel, it's the truth."
"No you do not! snap out of it."
"You don't get to decide that for me."
"Thorn please."
"Please what? PLEASE WHAT?! what are you gonna say now huh?! PLEASE DON'T LOVE ME?! YOU'RE JUST A FUCKING COWARD WHO'S AFRAID TO LOVE AGAIN!" Thorn screamed at him.
So, Muriel slapped him across the face in return, "YOUNG MASTER WHAT THE HELL!" Socorro yelled in horror.
Thorn didn't even clutch his cheek, he just sighed in defeat and said "Lucius, let's leave." motioning for his assistant to follow him before, walking away from Muriel.
Giving Socorro one last sympathetic look, Lucius joined Thorn, slowly trailing behind him as the white-haired man stomped his way out.
"Muriel!" Socorro turned her attention to her boss who was fighting his tears, "Tell me, what happened?"