Chapter 38: Red and Black

  Shade let out a sigh of relief. His fight was over, and he let down his guard. He got up from the roof floor and looked around him. Ms. Silver appeared next to him.

  She spoke to Shade with a calm but more emotional voice than usual.

  “Well done. Do you need healing?”

  Mr. Magician started listing which parts of shades body needed healing. With an amicable smile, Shade answered the black coated saintess.

  “Yes. I think I have broken ribs, a twisted ankle, and-”

  “I’ll heal you. There is no need to list everything.”

  Shade thanked Ms. Silver as she placed her hand on his chest. Shade felt a warm feeling envelop his body.

  Judgement scoffed and reminded Shade of something important… While the beautiful lady heals you, I think it is best that you remember something, something you yourself said. Why are you standing? Didn’t you say that you have a broken foot?

  Adrenaline was coursing through Shade’s body, he didn’t feel any pain which made it possible for him to stand. His face turned pale as the pain started to register.

  Because of Ms. Silver’s healing, while the pain was real, his foot was no longer broken. Ms. Silver laughed softly behind her hand when she noticed Shade’s expression. Shade didn’t notice at all because of the pain that he felt.

  “Return to the temple.”

  The goddess’s voice echoed within Shade’s and Ms. Silver’s ears. Ms. Silver grabbed Shade’s shoulder, and they were quickly transported to the temple.

  Shade was left baffled while Ms. Silver scanned her surroundings. She sighed before speaking.

  “The other has yet to return. Let’s wait. The goddess will likely inform us of why she wanted us back.”

  …

  Time passed and after half an hour, all mystics had returned to the temple. Ms. Silver started helping Rouge heal all the members.

  Shade heard Judgements explanation about what had happened earlier as he couldn’t ask while Ms. Silver could hear him… Teleportation. You have never heard that word before have you? After reaching certain milestones within mysticism and the number of your characteristic, bending reality is more than within your power.

  When you reach the rank of a Master Knight, you should be able to teleport within a short distance of 100 meters.

  Magician groaned as he corrected Judgement… Master Knight is now called Master Mystic. Get with the time old man!

  Judgement argued back… I have only just started acclimating to the new rank names! I am still not completely comfortable calling knights for mystics.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  “Then how powerful is Ms. Silver? How far can she teleport, and does she have more abilities?”

  Shade whispered quietly. Judgement thought for a moment before answering… There is no need for you to know, yet. Just know that even if you were looking straight at her fighting, you wouldn’t be able to see anything.

  She is at the rank of a Grounded God, or Saint as you call them. Maybe her actual strength is even higher than that. Even I don’t know exactly what abilities she has.

  Shade looked at the people in the temple. The more experienced Mystics were talking in a group while Ms. Snow, Mr. Specter, and Shade himself were in their own little space, calming themselves after a battle.

  Magician laughed before speaking his mind… Are you curious on how you rank within this group of mystics? Should I tell you?

  Shade wasn’t planning to ask but he was curious. He nodded slightly as to not look crazy for mumbling for himself for prolonged periods of time.

  Magician made a humming sound before answering… Without counting me and Judgement. You are at 6 characteristics. Which means that you are no longer a Spirit Sensitive. You are now an Entity Invoker, formerly known as Squire.

  Shade felt exited, during all the chaos about Gourmet and the fact that much has happened during the half month he has been a mystic.

  Judgements voice rang clear as he wanted to warn Shade… Do not get too excited. The only reason you survived tonight was because of the saintess and Magician.

  Your sword was next to useless, your gun didn’t even fire a single shot. While I am at it, don’t even think about saying that you are more than twenty characteristics weaker than your opponent.

  The silver moon was aiding you. Then there was me and Magician, two sentient characteristics, both being at the rank of saint, you should had been able to at least been able to slice off an arm and weaken her with the hunting bullets.

  Next time, use your characteristics, that way you wouldn’t be in the sorry state the saint found you in.

  Shade complained in his mind… I wasn’t in that bad state. Ms. Silver had no trouble healing me.

  Shade felt someone touch his arm. Ms. Snow was standing next to him.

  “This whole plan came from your idea, right? Why didn't you come to me instead of the captain? I may not have as much experience in the mystical world but my knowledge about mysticism far outshines his!”

  Ms. Snow wasn’t angry, she was simply a bit frustrated about the fact that she had spent a sleepless night thinking about how to track down Gourmet and then wasn’t even asked a single question by the one that managed to think of something useful.

  Shade was about to speak when suddenly the waters in the temple rippled violently. A pillar of water came out of the temple waters. At the top of the water pillar was a person.

  She had red and black clothing and fell down from the water pillar. Ms. Astral was the fastest to react, she used the temple water to damper the fall of the person in red and black.

  The red and black person landed softly on the central platform where every mystic was standing, and everyone knew immediately what she was.

  “A mystic from the northern district branch.”

  Mr. Specter was the first one to speak, Rouge rushed towards the mystic in red and black and started healing her immediately.

  The mystic coughed heavily while trying to express the reason she had come to their branch.

  “The northern branch was attacked!”

  She fought through her coughing trying to convey as much information she possibly could.

  “The Pyromancers came in full force and attacked us. Our captain is dead.”

  Though she spat blood as she spoke, the mystic managed to convey the most important information.

  The attackers were from the Church of Fire and Flame, and the dead include the captain of the northern branch. Shade heard the mystics around him softly whisper in horror.

  The quasi saint of the silver moon northern branch is dead. The mystic in red and black continued.

  “Most of us should had survived. We evacuated quickly because of captain’s orders. Help! Please!”

  The mystic in black and red robes lost consciousness. Rouge looked at Ms. Silver and then at his subordinates. Lastly, he looked up, as if asking for advice from the silver moon.

  Shade shuddered as he felt fear creep in along with Judgements unimaginable anger. Judgement said nothing, but his spirituality flickered like a raging flame.