The Sage and Shield

Chapter 3 (Done)

He saw the girl completely determined and serious with sweat dripping down her face, holding a strange book in her hand. Caleb jumped at them again but with a call from her mouth, a force of wind pushed him away from the two.

She helped him up. "You okay?"

"Yeah," getting dusted off by her. "I'm good," finding it hard to look at her in the eyes. And harder to see her this dedicated, yet frightened. "Are you?"

"I think, Move, quick!"

Caleb sped towards them, prompting her to yell out "Enlarge." The giant cracker she made expanded so large, he could barely fit it in his mouth.

"You've got magic powers?"

"Well, yes, but no - it's hard to explain!"

Caleb's mouth was stuck on the giant food, attempting to chew it whole. Failing, he winded his head forward, trying to turn what was meant to trap him with a sharp mouth blade at the two.

Mikey pulled and spun her underneath their classmate's head swing as she was about to fire a wind spell. That resulted in a vortex blowing Caleb up to the ceiling. He hit the roof of the hallway and dropped on the floor.

They assumed it was over, but his hand slithered until it caught Faith by the hand, dropping seeds underneath.

"This is my fault. I should've told you. To stop anyone infected with a page of malice, we have to destroy their Sorrow Seeds"

"Sorrow Seeds?"

"If someone gets possessed or influenced, the pages of a grimoire grow inside of their soul. Tiring, weakening, or attacking the spirit forces the seeds out, but only a Sage can purify them."

"So when you were at the apartment over the summer, you weren't the one handing out drugs?"

"Hmm? They've been showing up at your home?"

He explained what was going on: including the police.

"I'm a suspect?" She slumped. "I can't do anything right. I thought I got rid of them."

He saw the pain in her eyes.

"Hey, you saved my life. That's a good job for me. You did awesome."

"Really?" She looked embarrassed. "I'm not used to people saying that."

"Then they're dumb people. But you came here to stop this?"

"Well I was reassigned for my dad's job, but when I was a Sage back in Japan," holding back water in her eyes, "I didn't do so well. They were going to fire me but they said there was a missing grimoire and Sage over here."

He slapped his palm with his fist. "Well let's find the jerk responsible and end his tenure at the school for good!"

"Well we're on a quest to stop them, not get them expelled. It might just be a kid who got their hands on too much power."

"I doubt it. Whoever's targeting Caleb knows some kids at this school has issues. The only way a student would get expelled is if they threw something at their teacher."

"And I'm not even sure that'll work."

"What do you mean?"

"Just bad memories. Sometimes I wish I used the memory loss spell on myself."

"Were you gonna use it on me?"

Faith's eyes lowered. "I don't know what to do. The council usually says to not let anyone know. But I needed your help, and I'm not strong like you."

He was wondering what to do, but slapped himself.

"Then let me be your bodyguard!"

"Body-guard?"

"Well yeah. If someone's using magic to bring out the worst in people, you'll need someone who knows this school like the back of their hand. Plus, you can practice your spells with me. And I'll help you fight them."

"Really? But you could get hurt!"

"These guys have hurt me so much, I'm used to it. But that doesn't mean you should be. So," tiptoeing, "if I become your bodyguard, I'll protect you, so you'll become a sage so strong, no one will mess with you."

"You'd do that for me?"

"Yeah. Besides, I want to see your smile again. I like it."

She blushed, feeling her heart rise.

"T-thanks. If you want to, I could use the help. But um-one thing."

"What is it?"

"Well a bodyguard is usually this big large force, but you're just a kid. I don't think they have bodyguards."

"What about Ruby Bridges?"

"Oh yeah. Wish she had other kids to shield her."

"Ah, that's it. Then I'll be your Shield. So Faith, will you be my Sage?"

"My shield?"

Her brain could not think of the people whose hands were out, taking images and videos of her getting dunked in