"Those brats!" only after looking over her shoulders and noticing she wasn't been followed did the Warlock whose name was Andrea, explode into a fit of cussing.
It was only after she assured Aletta that she was going to fetch her wand, did the other party finally let her go. Witches were split into several classes depending on the level of their magic control. Magic was an infinite energy which they siphoned from the Empryeans. If a weak Witch tried siphoning more than they could handle, their bodies would explode from the pressure. As such, weaker level Witches had to use external items to draw out magic from the Empryeans.
These items included wands, stones and grimoires.
As a Warlock, Andrea wasn't powerful enough to channel magic without the use of a wand. However that didn't mean she was a low level cannon fodder witch after all one had to know that the Empryeans were universes level existences!
Snapping her fingers, a wand magically appeared before her, silently floating in the air.
"Let me see if they dare talk disrespectfully to me again" she grinned maliciously.
Since she had swore by her Patron to help Aletta, she couldn't renege on that oath without suffering drastic consequences. However that didn't mean she couldn't make things difficult for them?
Say for example placing a curse on all of them after she was done treating Jason.
"That's actually a nice plan. However you'd be dead before you carry it out" Andrea felt goosebumps when she heard this calm voice from behind her.
Hurriedly turning around, she found the culprit, staring at her calmly. It was actually a seven years old looking boy clad in bright purple trench coat and sporting a long raven black hair tied in a ponytail. Strangely, the features of the boy was quite feminine. If his chest wasn't so flat and his chin pronounced, he might've passed off as a girl.
If Jason was currently present, he would recognize the boy as the powerful but young Xper he encounterd at the alleyway
"What are you?!" vigilance flashed in the eyes of Andrea as an indigo glow appeared on the tip of her wand.
For someone to sneak up on her without her being able to sense them was either they had an item concealing their presence, or they were ridiculously powerful.
"You are not worthy to know my name. However what you should know is that.." the eyes of the Xper glowed purple as an invisible force suddenly lifted Andrea into the air, dragging her towards him..
No matter how the Warlock struggled, she couldn't break free from the grip this invisible force had on her. Her expression instantly transformed into one of dread as cold sweats slid down her face.
".. You are to do as you are told. If any harm falls on Jason or his friends.. you are going to suffer a fate worse than death"
Bang!
The invisible force slammed Andrea against a couple of trash bins in the corner. Crawling back on her feet, Andrea scanned her eyes around, however the Xper was now nowhere in sight.
"Just what kind of trouble have I landed myself in?" dabbing the sweat rolling down her cheeks, Andrea sucked in a deep cold breath.
.
.
Aletta glanced at the wall clock in the sitting room before she resumed pacing around, occasionally biting her nails. Daisy who was also present, shook her head.
"If you are worried about Jason's soul dispersing, then don't be. I am confident that my Soul Barrier will be able to last through the day " she tried reassuring her.
"What if Andrea doesn't return?" Aletta retorted sharply.
"She will. After all she made an oath. I don't think she would be so stupid to renege on that "
"But --"
"Gosh Aletta!" Daisy clicked her tongue.
"I know you have a crazy crush on the guy but can you stop being paranoid? Andrea has only been gone for fifteen minutes.. she's going to come back okay?"
"You.. you don't understand " Aletta replied, almost like a whisper to herself.
She couldn't help being paranoid because she felt guilty. She was the only one who knew of Jason's bizzare ability. Although she had no idea what the source of the ability was, she knew how it worked. If only she had dissuaded Jason and warned him of the danger that came with using that ability, she felt he wouldn't be currently in his comatose state..
Just as she was about to glance at the wall clock for the thousandeth time, the entrance door slid open, revealing Andrea who stylishly cat walked in.
"You came?!" Aletta sounded both relieved and surprised.
"Were you expecting otherwise?" Andrea rolled her eyes.
"There's no time to exchange words. Hurry up and do what you do best" Stephen's voice rang out with urgency as he descended the stairs.
"What happened?" Aletta instantly sensed the implied meaning in her brother's words.
"You would have to take a look at it yourself" Stephen replied with a solemn expression.
.
.
"When did this happen?" Daisy mused as she asked Stephen.
The four of them were currently gathered around the Soul Barrier, observing Jason's half corpse. Currently there was a new mark on his forehead. The mark was pitch black and depicted a burning star hanging above a crescent moon shaped bowl. Surrounding this mark was a red series of padlocks numbering five. One of such padlocks seemed to be slowly erasing. From even outside the Soul Barrier, the group could sense a bone chilling cold from this mark.
"I-I it happened about five minutes ago" Stephen replied.
"Five minutes? that long? why didn't you come and inform us?" Aletta berated her brother sharply.
"I wanted to.. but.. when this strange mark appeared, I was frozen in place. It was only half a minute ago that things went back to normal"
"This mark.." while both siblings argued amongst themselves, Andrea squatted down, observing the mark on Jason's forehead with rapt attention, her eyes bulging with excitement and delight.
"What is it?" Daisy sensed something fishy.
"N-Nothing. It's just that I have seen this mark before" Andrea snorted, her expression going back to normal.
"You have?"
"Yep. And the last person who had this mark died after an hour it appeared.. this mark signifies that your friend's soul is on the verge of collapsing and dispersing"
"That's impossible!" Daisy was the first to retort.
"My Soul Barrier--"
"You call this half assed garbage a Soul Barrier?! You are not even a real Witch, what the hell do you know eh?" Andrea cut her off.
"If I don't heal your friend in time, I am afraid this is the last time you are going to see him warm "
"Then do it! what's the delay?!" Aletta bit her lower lips, almost on the verge of losing it from the paranoia.
"I need to be alone. I don't like disturbances "
"Just help him please " Aletta grabbed her brother by the wrist, pulling him away from the study room.
"I said I want to be alone!" Andrea snorted impatiently when she noticed Daisy still standing on the same spot.
"You talk a big game. Although I am not a real Witch, I consider myself an Apprentice and since you carry yourself like an expert, I'll like to observe your craft.. that is if you don't mind of course?" Daisy smirked.
"Tch. Bitch " Andrea cussed underneath her breath. She could tell that Daisy was suspicious of her.
"Fine. Suite yourself!"