The Sage and Shield

Chapter 4 (Done)

After asking Faith if it was okay, Mikey returned home, and told Hela the news when school ended.

"It's not that I don't believe you, but-"

"There's a but," crossing his arms. "You don't believe me."

"Okay, using natural elements like magic is a little out there."

"Didn't you say a guy who hosts reality tv led the country for a while. Isn't anything possible?"

She sucked her teeth. "Well, we're redefining what's possible. "

"So what do we tell the police?"

"I got it. Hello. Yes, can I speak to this officer? We found out she has been trying to find who has been planting them as well. Really? Okay."

"What did they say?"

"They said they want you to keep watching her, but let her know not to get involved or go to scenes of the crime. If it's outside of school, let them know. if it's inside of school, let the guards know."

"Yeah, but she has to seal them away."
"I guess if you guys get rid of them, then they might drop the case. But they're still looking for a culprit."

"And if the person responsible is also using magic-"

"You have to be careful. If she can't protect you with magic you are going to be in danger.

"That just means I have to get stronger. After school, I guess that means we're gonna start exercise training?"

She sighed. "I guess I need to get back in shape too. Wonder what her parents are thinking?"

Marcus and Laila Yurei had listened to her recap of the events to perplexed results.

"The cops think you're responsible? That's ridiculous," said her father, a curly haired man of average height with his daughter's skin color.

"But if they know she's trying to stop the rogue user then they might just ask her to stop acting like a vigilante," said her mother, slightly taller than him with the same tone of skin.

"Well, if there's someone in the school, I just have to find them. And now I have someone that will help me."

Her mom noticed her smile was much different than the one she presented. "You look happy to go to school again.

"I do."

"Girl, you are my child. That old school was too miserable towards you. I wish all of these evil grimoire users would stop infiltrating all these organizations. No wonder they keep recruiting young people to fight them."

"You don't think I should erase his memory?"

"Why? The last user that you were supposed to work with was just as bad as the bullies who hurt you. One person can't hurt."

"Yeah, he's a bit rough, but he seems sweet." She gasped, and covered her mouth, too late to watch her mom and dad's face expand. "I mean them."

They turned to each other, and she grew nervous, at what was going to come out of their mouths.

"Perfect!"

She blinked. "Huh?"

"He can take the hits for you while you get rid of the Sorrow Seeds!"

"Dad, that sounds like you want me to use him."

"Do you remember the kid in your class who tried to push me down the stairs? If this kid knows and wants to help you, let him. Don't throw away an opportunity like this!"

"Uh, ok~ay?"

Her mom grew stern. "Be sure you can trust him. I don't want my daughter to get burned again."

Faith rubbed her arms. "Yes, mom."

The next day, Mikey actually showed up a few minutes early, catching Faith a block from the school entrance, where they exchanged info.

"Glad they're not mad at me. So who chose you? Your old school?"

"There's a rumor the Ministry of Health have recruited guidance counselors to target the Chaos Releasers that stole a bunch of grimoires back a couple of years. I was recruited back in second grade when there were too many cases around my school."

He looked down to see her scratching her arms.

"I just wish I was strong enough to help everyone."

"Hey, you survived. Dad always said every performance isn't gonna be the best. But we can learn to be better in the next one."

He saw her face light up a bit. "They sound pretty cool. I'd love to go to one of their shows."

"Yeah, it'd be a lot of fun."

When the two got to the cafeteria, they noticed one of the girls crying, kicking around a tray, and their teacher attempting to stop them. Mikey ignored it, but Faith noticed a shred of wind blowing and a spectral force surrounding the young girl.

Her screams grew louder and louder and Faith's book glowed: a Sorrow Seed was inside of her.

"I want breakfast!"

The voices were getting so loud, she saw a surge of miasma flowing around.

"This isn't good," as a banshee forged across the young first grader. Her cries and screams grew so loud her classmates were covering her ears and their teacher was slowly being pushed into the pillar.

"Why can't they say see anything?"

"Spectral forces can't be seen by those unless they have a strong sixth sense or connection."

"Fine, hold them off."

She nodded. "Vine!" She stretched her arms forward to make ghostly vines to smack the phantom beast off her body and strike their mouth. The girl's teacher used the freedom to talk her down, but Faith panicked at it, changing targets to her.

He ran to the lunch line, quickly asking for breakfast, and calling Faith as he threw it. The banshee blasted her, who made a wind sphere to block the sound out, barely walking through to give the younger classmate the food she was craving.

As she started to calm down, Mikey ran in front of Faith when the spirit was about to scream at her,.

"Go!"

Faith snatched the seeds and sunk them into the grimoire, purifying them.

"Phew. That was close."

"See, we got this."

He may have been right.