The Warlock's Azalea (EDITING) ✔

Chapter 11.1 - Era

Chapter 11 – Era

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"Era!"

The girl sitting at the top of the hill secured a bookmark between pages and turned her head.

"Yes, Azi?"

The book in one of her hands immediately blessed the grass as the running Aziel jumped to embrace her. With the unexpected action, Era's back met the ground while the impact buried Aziel's head around her neck.

"Azi?" She held the back of his head that immediately rose, a bright smile painting his face. Era's lips curled up to a knowing smile. "Did something good happen?"

Aziel lifted himself with his hands on either side of Era, "Yup! I've finally awakened spatio!"

Era's hands traveled to his cheeks. "That took quite a while." Aziel pouted.

"It did! Though I've already been seeing glimpses of its usage in my dreams these past twenty years, it really had to wait before I reached the beginning of adulthood to come out!" Era pinched his cheeks with a giggle.

"Sometimes, I still don't feel like you're twenty already." Aziel glared and pinched the tip of her nose. "Hey, stop! This is exactly why you're still such a child!"

"I'm only a few days younger than you!" Era turned her head to a side and caught one of Aziel's wrists.

"Yeah, but I developed my flight specialty when I was three!" Aziel's pout deepened, a moan of irritation coming out of him.

After a fierce staring contest, Aziel stuck his tongue out and got up, moving a few inches away from Era.

Era, a smile reaching her eyes, poked Aziel's behind. "So, are you gonna show me what you can do now or not?"

He immediately turned around with the same sparkling eyes moments ago, "That's why I'm here!"

Aziel jumped up to stand and stretched both arms beside them. A few seconds of his stance just concentrated on that one spot, a black orb took form, and it expanded to half his height.

"That's amazing!"

Aziel's cheeky grin instantly dropped to a pout when the forming portal disappeared, and no matter how hard he grunted, it won't expand any further.

Panting, he smiled and dropped to the grass with his eyes closed. "That's all I can do as of now, though."

"Even so." Aziel's eyes shot open when someone's fingers pushed some of his hair behind his shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

She's so... close.

Aziel turned his head away from hers, "That means a lot, Era."

"What's wrong?"

Aziel sighed and plopped on the ground, arms spread. "Aina is turning 100 in a few weeks...." And she's not going to survive.

Era cocked her head above his body. "Who knows, she might live."

She won't.

Aziel closed his eyes. He can't say that—or else they're going to know that he knows something everyone else doesn't.

Aziel opened his eyes and slid them beside him, where Era laid down too. A smile found its way to her lips as she faced his side.

"It's going to be alright." Aziel glanced at her hand that held his on his side. "Okay?" Aziel pursed his lips and nodded.

It's not.

It's never going to be okay.

Every single one of them is going to die. And he's bound to watch them all go one by one.