A Rose Between the Thorns

Chapter 10

"I promise to do my best Wizard King."

"I'm glad to hear it. Now I'm sure you miss your squad mates, so why don't you go. I'm sure they've been anxious to know when you'll wake up." I smiled at Julius' suggestion. "I will do, thank you Sir."

With my grimoire still floating at my side I opened a portal and could hear Julius getting excited again at seeing another one of my spells. "Oh I should tell you, wages just came in so I'm sure Yami has given the Black Bulls the day off." I felt happy at the idea of a day off with my squad, but then it dawned on me. A day off after the attack on the capital, that meant Asta was going to visit Rebeca.

"Oh no, Nean!" I shouted changing the course of the portal as I ran through, not realising I hadn't said a goodbye to Julius. When my feat touched the ground I could hear the snow crunch beneath my boots and when I felt the mana in the snow, I knew I was in Nean.

I looked around village noticing some children still outside with their parents, that means they've already entered the caves. Using my spacial magic I opened another portal hoping it would take me straight to the caves and judging by the darkness I had walked into I'd say it did.

I ran as fast as I could with what strength I had regained since waking up and tried sensing the mana in the caves. Thanks to the snow outside it didn't make it easy differentiating between it's mana and a persons, but as I took a turn down another cavern I could feel something strongly familiar. So I followed it.

Seeing light up ahead I continued to run and now could sense the mana of several people, found you. "Asta!" I shouted as I entered one of the caves anti-chambers. There he was along with Gauche, sister Teresa and the snow magic boy.

"Hey Rose." He said a smile on his face, but then it fell, utter shock entering his expression instead. "Wait Rose! Your awake, how are you here?" He asked, looking as if he had seen a ghost. I ran up beside him giving him a hug as I did. "I heard about what was happening in Nean back in the Capital." Not exactly a lie.

He nodded accepting my reason before suddenly I felt a massive increase in the areas mana. All of a sudden the boy with snow magic fell to the ground and impaled in his back was a sword created from light magic. Patri. I turned my head and that's when I noticed another set of swords heading for Gauche. "Gauche!" I shouted, running from Asta's side in an attempt to push him out of the swords' path, but I was to late.

Then again I felt the mana of another attack. Turning my head I saw they were aiming for Asta, I wasn't close enough. I heard a shout and realised it was Sister Teresa trying to warn Asta, but she wasn't fast enough and instead she was the one impaled by the swords.

"No Sister!" Asta shouted as he ran to her side, I followed suite the moment Gauche displayed his concern. He would be alright but Sister Teresa, it wouldn't hurt to help. "Rose do you have a recovery spell you could use?" Asta asked me a pleading look in his eyes. "I'll have a look." Just as my grimoire came floating at my side I heard a voice which made me stand to attention, ready for another attack.

"That won't do you any good, I won't allow it." He's here alright. "You've injured my compatriot, it's only fair I return the favour." I know he meant Asta, but it still made me angry. Why can't he come to his senses already, none of this is right. "It's him the guy we saw at the groups hide out." I didn't know what he meant by we, I was unconsious the whole time. Perhaps he meant Julius.

"I haven't introduced myself yet have I. I am the leader of the Eye of the Midnight sun, call me Licht." I could feel his gaze turn from Asta to me, strangely it felt warm unlike the coldness I had expected. "And you, your alive. I'm glad." 

My eye's widened at his words, if he was telling the truth he had an odd way of showing it. "If you wanted me alive perhaps you shouldn't have stabbed me." I retorted not only angered and confused by his words, but I hoped by talking it would stall him long enough for Yami to get here.