Summoning Woes

Ch 19 - Will

Character portrait is done by "petaruchan", used as competition material for the Unit Art Contest of Brave Frontier (June 2015). The artist has given permission to let me use her character in this story. O_o!!

=============================================

She moved as slowly as she could, keeping her footsteps light and breathing as shallow as possible so as not to attract Lunaris's attention. Blast that woman, covering them with her ever watchful eyes. Had it not been the case, she could have gotten even with her old adversary by now.

"Wait," the man who summoned her enemy said, raising his hand in the air as though he was signaling the group something. "I sense that we're being followed."

"Are you just being paranoid?" Luly asked. "It's not like this forest is dangerous or anything."

"So I can trust that you can stop whatever that comes should that being appear?" the hooded figure asked.

That was so like him, critical with just about everything. She could just her clenched fist ramming his cheek over. She raised her other hand, wrapping the fist as though she was trying to stop herself. No, it would do no good to resort to violence. If she could just get back at him...

Before she could even complete her grudging mental sentence, an unruly strawberry blonde haired man with creamy hazel eyes was staring right at her upside-down. He was so close that she could feel his warm breath against her cheek.

"Well," he grinned from ear-to-ear. "Looks like I found our stalker."

"Master," the hooded figure said. "I would strongly advise you not to touch her. Please."

"It would be shame if no one could," he examined her as though she was a specimen. "I mean, that snow-blonde hair sure is attractive."

"Umm," Luly said uncomfortably. "You would do well to follow that bugger's advice."

"What if I don't?"

"No!" Luly shouted, punching him so hard that he flailed back and forth like a piñata.

"Goddammit Luly!" Lunaris shouted. "Can you stop hurting our guest?!"

"Your words fall on deaf ears, my dear friend," the hooded figure said.

"Sirkius, I'm already mad as I am. I would like to ask that you don't make me worse than I am now."

"I just lost a tooth," he spat out a bloody one on his mouth. "Thanks Luly."

"I thought you didn't need them anymore, Klavier," she shuffled her feet with a silly smile worn on her face.

How could they be so casual around a being like her? The friendly atmosphere was something that she yearned for for three lifetimes. She opened her mouth to speak, but there was a lump blocking her throat. No, she wasn't about to allow her emotions get the better of her.

"Err, are you alright?" the person whom they called 'Klavier' asked.

"Master," the hooded figure said. "I must stress that you do not touch her."

"Why's that, Sirkius?"

"This," Sirkius plucked a leaf from a tree, tossing it down, watching it glide towards her hand.

A bittersweet feeling stirred in her heart. Sweet because it was a long time since she last saw life in its most graceful moments. Bitter because before she could blink her eyes, the leaf withered and dried instantly the moment it landed on her hand. The slightest movement of her hand crushed the very foundation of its life, crumbling into nothingness.