Chapter 78
Monica stood in the fading light of dusk, the tension in the air palpable as townsfolk gathered in hushed clusters around the towering helicopter that had unexpectedly landed in her family's farm field.
Their expressions ranged from curiosity to suspicion, and Monica's heart raced as she realized that she had no choice but to craft a convincing excuse. Aware of her unique ability to influence minds, she prepared to wield it delicately, knowing that the truth—a truth that could unravel their little town—had to be carefully obscured.
With a deep breath, she stepped forward, projecting calmness as she recounted the fabricated tale of technical malfunctions that had forced the helicopter to make an emergency landing. The rhythmic pause of her voice, imbued with sincerity, began to ripple through the crowd.
She could see their skepticism melting away as her words wrapped around them like a warm blanket. The few townsfolk who had witnessed the helicopter's descent seemed to nod along, their initial doubts dissolving into acceptance as she subtly insinuated that there was no cause for alarm.
Monica knew that if even a whisper of the real reason circulated—if they were to learn of the mysterious figures and the clandestine mission behind the helicopter—they would likely descend into chaos, unraveling the fragile threads that held the community together.
She sensed the weight of responsibility on her shoulders, not just to protect herself but to safeguard townspeople from the truth, which could provoke a full scale news media frenzy and potentially give Ethan's parents unwanted media attention. Monica took a deep breath, steeling herself for the task ahead, knowing that she had to carefully navigate the delicate balance between truth and deception to maintain peace in the town.
Katarine was an unknown person when she came here with Ethan; she got to see and tour the small town as Ethan confirmed his girlfriend. Many townspeople were shocked and surprised a few days ago seeing an elegant and beautiful woman beside Ethan who was known to never indulge in relationships, even though a lot of single women were confessing their admiration towards him.
Many of these young ladies were annoyed seeing an outsider claiming their prince charming heart; they were even furious seeing how Ethan became more attractive than before. Their jaws dropped seeing him up close while he was touring his so called girlfriend; she was so beautiful. , man of Ethan's classmate was able to see them together. They were also upset but could not do anything to ruin Ethan's days as he was known to be a real pain to deal with as he was not your typical farm boy. Nobody in town stood up to him; Ethan was the embodiment of the old saying
"Don't poke the bear."
Katarine stood with a commanding presence, her gaze fixed on the four guards who flanked her. "Gather all your belongings and wait for further instructions,"
she ordered, her voice steady and authoritative. As the guards complied, she reached for the bag where Nicolas had carefully placed the armguard. Turning to Ethan, she inquired with curiosity,
"Is it alright if I wear them now? I want to adjust them and ensure I'm comfortable."
Ethan smiled, his own enthusiasm evident as he revealed,
"I was just about to do the same thing."
Encouraged by his words, Katarine headed towards the farmhouse, a mix of determination and excitement in her step. Meanwhile, Rebecca and Nicolas stood beside their old farm tractor, the weight of the recent cornfield disaster heavy on their minds as they brainstormed possible solutions.
"Don't worry, Father,"
Katarine's voice resonated as she reassured Ethan's parents.
"I will not let them leave this place without compensating for your hard work to the last penny."
Her words hung in the air, a promise of justice amidst the turmoil. As she made her way back to the farmhouse, Rebecca and Nicolas exchanged knowing glances, their worries slightly alleviated by Katarine's vow.
When Ethan approached his parents, he wore an expression of fierce determination, ready to roll up his sleeves and dive into finding a solution for the cornfield's troubles.
He chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief at the caliber of the young woman Ethan had aligned himself with.
"You are one lucky son of mine. Smart, beautiful and rich!
"You really are my son , Ethan; we are so proud of you,"
His father said with a smile, patting him on the back. Ethan just walked and followed Katarine with his head down because he was embarrassed to even utter a single reaction. Soon Ethan went inside the house and saw Katarine wearing the armguard while she was putting on one of Ethan's old long sleeves. He couldn't help but feel a sense of amusement at the thought of Katarine wearing his old clothes, wondering what she was up to. As he approached her, he gave her a hug and a small kiss on the cheek. Katarine turned around and gave Ethan a seductive look and asked if she looked beautiful in his shirt.
Ethan nodded and grabbed the armguard his father made and wore too. Katarine and Ethan were now fully strapped with their preferred hiden weapons; the body armor remained inside their bag as they planned to hide it from being seen by the public. The only thing that they took and placed inside the pocket was their mask.
" you really going to use that name that the public is calling you?"
"i am really bad in names, so at first I wanted to be nameless, but people at the knight association took the nameless laterally," Katarine replied with a chuckle.
"I guess I'll just go with the flow and embrace it," she added, adjusting her mask before they headed out on their mission.
"So you will continue using the Vermilion Sovereign name?"
"Does it sound too cringe?"
"It's all about creating a persona that strikes fear in our enemies," her companion replied. "And Vermilion Sovereign definitely has that effect." Katarine nodded in agreement,
"What about you, hon, What code name will you use??"
" I WILL CALL MYSELF TEMPEST OF LOVE! "
"Huh, what!"
Katarine couldn't help but burst into laughter as she heard Ethan's latest attempt at having a code name. "Seriously, Katarine? 'Tempest of love?' That's the best you could come up with?" she continued to tease Ethan, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
The absurdity of it made her giggle even more, and for a moment, the tension Monica created suddenly coming unannounced evaporated. Ethan, unfazed by her playful jab, merely shrugged with a grin. "Hey, as long as it gets the job done, right?" he replied, his nonchalance only fueling Katarine's amusement.
They both shared a chuckle, a brief interlude that reminded them of the fun in their partnership despite the seriousness of the task ahead. With smiles still lingering on their faces, they refocused their energy, determined to tackle the challenges with a blend of creativity, humor, and camaraderie that made even the most daunting projects enjoyable.
When Katarine asked Ethan, "What are your plans concerning the 12 huge wolves roaming around your backyard?""
Ethan actually forgot to mention that the 12 wolves he summoned were nearly secured as his armguard. Ethan chuckled and replied, "Oh, those wolves are actually part of my weapon now."
"Huh! That's unfair. You have those wolves under your command; why can't I have one for my own?"
Ethan laughed and said, "I can teach you how to summon maybe one if you want, but be careful, they can be a handful." Katarine grinned mischievously and replied, "I'll take my chances; I could use some extra protection around me and something that reminds me of you."
"Hmm, I think that won't be hard; would you prefer a stuff toy size summon?"
"Something more on the defensive side."
"Okay, let's try to summon a creature that is based on those features ,"
" we need a few drops of blood, the left over chicken blood inside the refrigerator will do."
"wait let me get it,"
Ethan when inside the kitchen and brought back a small plastic container, it still have left over a few slaughtered poultry that still has sufficient blood on its body. Katarine just wanted something small so he thinks summoning a small creature would be fine, Ethan took the container and place it on top of the dining table and took out a few mana cores from his cargo pants pocket and place it on the table near opened plastic container, he poured the remaining coagulated chicken blood on the mana cores and began to used his powers
focusing his energy on summoning a small like creature that was cute and resembled with a hint of his protective personality , Katarine watched in awe as the creature materialized before her. the blood became like thin treads and started to change as if it was changing its molecular structure. it was copying the table cloth that was on the dining table, including other small material on top of the table , while it was slowly forming new core and physical body based on what Katarine wanted.
It was somewhat different, as she knew for a fact , that having summoning powers are very rare, and the success of creating a creatures based on the mana core was hard to do, because it has a very strict set of rules, only a handful of summoners could do this, but Ethan powers was different, as if we wants summoning the creatures a all, like he was creating a new living being based on the mana core, as he infused with his own mana and personalize it depending on his imagination.
this one came out different maybe because of the material that supplied its construction. the 12 wolves were created from earth minerals and elements fount in the place were they were summoned and manifested. Ethan smiled proudly at his creation, confident that it would serve its purpose well in protecting them, ready to be her loyal companion.
It stood about a half-foot tall, embodying the whimsical charm of a beloved toy. At first glance, one might mistake it for an unusual doll, with its small black button eyes that twinkled with mischief and innocence. The creature's body was crafted from a soft, plush fabric that begged to be touched, providing a comforting warmth. Its fur was a strikingly rich shade of purple, a hue that seemed to shimmer in the light, while its bright yellow horns added an enchanting contrast that caught the eye.
As it perched on the edge of a small table, its tiny wings fluttered excitedly, creating an almost musical rhythm as it danced in the air. The gentle purring it emitted felt like a soothing lullaby, radiating affection toward its new master, who couldn't help but smile at this delightful creature. Although it bore a striking resemblance to a cat, with its playful demeanor and soft features, the peculiar design of its bat-like wings lent it an air of fantastical charm. Two small horns protruded from its forehead, giving it an endearing and slightly mischievous look. Adding to its uniqueness was a long, snake-like tail that curled and coiled with every joyful movement, as if it had a mind of its own. This enchanting creature was not just a pet but a magical companion, bridging the gap between reality and the fantastical worlds of imagination.
And because it was only a few inches, some would see it as a cute, inanimate stuff toy. Katarine felt is fur, and it was incredibly soft to the touch, almost like velvet. She couldn't help but smile at the adorable creature in her hands, already feeling a strong bond forming between them. It hardly moved as it wrapped its tail around Katarine's waist and acted like it was really just an item. It was a bit lazy and timid; it looked unassuming and innocent. Katarine couldn't resist the urge to cuddle it closer, feeling a sense of protectiveness towards the small creature.
She was happy, and Katarine called it Tiny, a name that seemed fitting for the small, delicate creature in her arms. Tiny nuzzled against Katarine's chest, emitting a soft purr that melted her heart even more. She kissed Ethan for summoning such a cute pet. Ethan smiled at Katarine's joy.