The Sage and Shield

Chapter 9 (Done)

Faith lunged in front of Maria as the blade sung down, using both hands to try and blow it away from both of them with all of her might.

Mikey pinched himself and ran over to help but the grim reaper cut through Faith's spell.

It vanished in front of their eyes as the train headed across the bridge with more light. He got to them, both of them sweating with fear.

He helped them. "We'll be okay," spotting a light cut on her face. He swallowed, trying to clench his hands.

He failed as a Shield.

"Were we gonna die?"

Faith sighed. "I'm sorry Maria. Air~nesia," blowing the memory out of her.

Maria looked dazed. "Why are you two here?"

"Mikey, um, tell her. I need to do something."

"We were talking about Jake being super upset with the test."

"Oh yeah. Poor Rebina. They probably got distracted by Jake and missed something in class. If I had two siblings I wouldn't waste my time trying to help someone else."

"Oh yeah," planning on talking to him. Then Maria tapped him to see Faith falling down. He turned around and people had the same dazed look on their faces. She was holding onto the pole to hold herself up.

"Faith!" He let her rest up on her shoulders, going to delete anyone's recordings.

"I'll," yawning, "be okay. Just used a bit more magic than usual."

Defeated, he called Hela to let her know while he picked her up and helped her to the other side once they reached the next train stop.

Hela got to them at their own train stop, picking Faith up. She was conscious enough to give her their address: where the private houses lived.

Mikey looked around at the grass, the friendly police, and the yards, all things he wanted to have.

"We'll move over here one day, promise."

Hela did the talking while letting him hold Faith's hands as she got some fight back. Eventually, Marcus and Laila opened the door, inviting them in.

They checked on Faith's condition.

"She'll be okay. Just need a couple more hours of sleep tonight. Michael, is it," watching her daughter's grip on her hand. "Take her to the room on the right."

"Oh, okay."

He got her to the room, impressed: different K-Pop posters, clothes, hair colors on wigs, toys, games, and colored pillows, guiding her to the bed.

Her hand kept holding him. Her smile was weak, but bright as the lamp he put in.

"I like kind guys," leaning over. "Like you."

His face was starting to burn. But the guilt got him to form his fists.

"Just rest. Tomorrow, I'm gonna stop that thing," heading out to meet her parents talking to Hela.

"They choose young people as holders since a bunch of people took advantage of Covid to steal the grimoires and spread them out throughout the world?"

"Yeah, the Ministry of Health figured schools would be the first target. The culprits could lay low, hurt teachers and students without them even knowing and get away. It's sort of an open secret. It's not the only organization that might be targeted," looking at his wife.

Laila's eyes drifted. "I was a staff worker helping out a Representative on more social and health laws to help out young girls, and one by one, her team members got attacked. I know a Sage saved me because I couldn't remember anything."

"And Faith found out about it one day."

"There's an empathy test kids take like a progress report so the Ministry enlisted guidance counselors to study and offer it to whoever scores high almost every time. Our baby girl passed with flying colors. She wanted to do something about it."

Hela looked around. "But the other kids were too much to handle?"

"She was supposed to have help: but one of them ended up abusing their power, and they sent people after us to make Faith stop. Our daughter saved our lives, but we've never been able to do much to help her."

"Still trying to do the right thing when no one else would. Why can't we do something?"

"The grimoire bonds with their core user: the pages and spells can affect other people. And since the spells are hard to see, we can be a liability if we're not prepped."

Mikey sucked his teeth, thinking about what she told him.

"Like me. I'm sorry. I'm not gonna make her suffer alone."

Marcus and Laila were about to say something but he left, prompting Hela to follow after him and wishing them a good night.

"Mikey, wait, it's not your fault!"

"But I could've done something about it. I need to come up with a plan to stop whoever has the Seeds in them. If I can't make Faith's job easier for her, she should just erase my memory!"

"Why are you getting so tripped up over her? Just because you think she's cute doesn't mean-"

"I don't want her to end up like me!"

That stopped Hela in his cracks.

"She thinks there's some good in the world. And she's still trying to help people who don't deserve. Meanwhile, I've been running away like a coward."

"You didn't run. There's only so much a kid like you could take."

"So? Mom and dad work too hard for us! And they don't earn much. All I want to do is make school not feel like one where everyone's suffering!"

"But you're fighting magic!"

"Based on everyone's anger! I know what makes all of my classmates tick and two of them almost died because of me. Hela, you have to help me out. I can't save them if I'm not prepared."

She sighed.

"Alright, fine. If you won't opt out, I'll get you prepared for everything."