(Earlier at lunch time)
Rubielle
"So, what's this important thing you wanted to talk about?" I asked Lillian, trying to focus. I had a feeling we were both thinking of the same thing—the darkness incident.
"Rubielle," she said in serious tone as her gaze locked onto mine.
"Do you know who's behind all this?"
"Yeah… It's one of the enemies chasing me," I admitted, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
"I can't handle this alone, and because of me, others are getting hurt."
"Can you tell me who they are?" Lillian leaned in slightly, her expression full of determination.
"...I don't know how many followed me here, since..." I hesitated, not wanting to share too much. I'm still recovering my magic, and I didn't want to burden her with more information. If only I have my sisters' hearts..
"...I arrived here... but I do know who's causing this." I continued.
"Who?" she pressed.
"One of my enemies is an alchemist," I explained,
"He's obsessed with creating new creatures—living ones. The black things you've seen inside people? They're his work. He's a lunatic, trying to recreate a phenomenon that could harm everything."
Lillian's brow furrowed, her face is in confusion.
"I see…" she said slowly, her voice careful.
"That's a lot to take in."
I nodded, glancing away.
"Sorry, it's not easy to explain… This world is so different from mine. I barely understand how everything works here."
She studied me for a moment before speaking again.
"I already told you I'm an exorcist. Do you know what that means?"
"Not really." I shook my head, feeling lost.
She seemed to consider how to explain it.
"This world isn't as peaceful as it seems. There are supernatural beings—well, I'll just call them 'other beings.' They hide in the shadows, causing chaos if left unchecked. Exorcists like me keep them at bay to protect people."
I listened, intrigued but still confused.
"Fifteen years ago," Lillian continued, her eyes brightening with pride.
"My parents played a huge part in ending the conflict between these beings and the exorcists. That's why things are a lot more peaceful now." she brags
She smiled, her face glowing.
"I look up to them so much," she added with a proud expression.
I couldn't help but smile. Her admiration for her parents was so pure, so heartfelt.
"That's why I want to do something big too," she went on, her gaze drifting toward the sky.
"I want to make a difference, just like them."
Her passion was contagious, and despite everything going on, I felt a spark of hope. Maybe choosing her is right after all.
But then, from the corner of my eye, there he was. Ethan was standing near the entrance, trying to be unnoticeable, but I could tell he was watching us from the beginning. I quickly looked away, trying not to get distracted.
"But that's not why I called you here," Lillian's voice pulled me back to reality.
Her expression was serious now.
"Remember when I said I felt an imbalance in power? At first, I thought it was just you. But now, it's clearer. There's more happening here than I realized."
"For strong-sensed people like us exorcists, we can feel when something's wrong," she explained. "It wasn't clear before, but now it's much stronger. There's something else must be going on."
I paused, contemplating her words. Magic from my world... maybe it was similar to what she was sensing here.
"There are two other presences, aside from you," she continued, her voice softening with concern.
I was a bit surprised to think she can feel that too, I underestimated her. But good thing they're really only two..
"One is far away, so I'm not sure," she said, frowning slightly.
"But I've seen those black creatures heading back and forth in that direction. Aside from when I'm following you, I also followed some of them. Some are following you while some are going to the other presence I'm talking about."
"I know," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"But I can't just attack. There are still people I need to save."
"Leave that to me," Lillian said confidently.
"Focus on stopping the one responsible for this. I may not understand everything about you and your world, but I can still help."
Her words were so reassuring. I could tell that this girl, with her brave heart, could accomplish anything. But then, her expression darkened.
"However, the other presence… it's nearby."
"…And familiar," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.
"Really?" Lillian raised an eyebrow.
"Do you even need my help? You seem to have this all figured out."
"Haha, no. I really need your help," I said, my smile returning despite the tension.
"And I'm really grateful you're here."
I took a step closer, extending my hand toward her, I hold her hand. With a spark of magic, I sealed our pact. It felt like the right thing to do as I watch this girl.
"Lillian Graveshade," I said with a smile, "in the name of the Witches, I make this promise: If you ever need me, I'll be there." It's a pact that cannot be broken in the name of my sisters.
Her eyes widened in surprise as the magic swirled around us.
"Th-That's…" she stammered, visibly stunned.
I could see the shock in her eyes—this was the first time she'd seen me use magic. I almost laughed, recalling how flustered Ethan had looked the first time I used my magic.
"So, what's the plan?" Lillian asked, snapping back to focus.
"Even though someone's nearby… I want to go after the alchemist first," I said. "I need to stop him before he hurt more people."
"What about after school?" Lillian suggested, offering her hand for a shake.
"Sounds good," I said, shaking her hand firmly.
-------------------------------------
(Present)
Anonymous Alchemist
"Kekekeke! Coming here was definitely worth it!" I chuckled to myself, admiring my latest creation.
"Who would've thought that non-humans could exist here? Fascinating!"
"But it's different, isn't it? It has a form, but it's not tangible... Is it something only certain individuals can feel? What's the cause? Hmm.."
"Intriguing, truly intriguing! Are there creatures even stronger, more beautiful than this? I could create so many more masterpieces!"
I paced around the abandoned building, my voice trembling with excitement.
"If anyone found me, well, that could be... troublesome." I glanced at the bodies scattered nearby, but I wasn't concerned.
Mixing my new subject with the darkness phenomenon I created—perfect! It was the most beautiful thing I'd ever made.
As I laughed, one of my creations, ran toward to me. My babies I released out there were beginning to decrease. It seemed the little witch was on the move.
"Ah, I see," I muttered, listening to my little creation.
"They're coming for me now... How delightful! It's time to test my newest creation!" I grinned, licking my lips in anticipation.
"Alright, show me what you can do, my precious little child."