Compass Rose

Chapter 2

~Chapter 2~

LAZARUS

There was the opening. I quickly spun around and felt magic rise up inside of me. A magic circle appeared beneath me filled with patterns of the Guardians.

Thrusting my palm into his chest, I used ‘itigil’, which froze him into place. He looked somewhat funny being frozen while lifting his sword and pointing his gun at my back.

I took a good look at him. He was slightly shorter than me, but I couldn’t see any facial features. In fact, I couldn’t make out any features besides his height because his whole body was covered in a full body darker-than-black coat. His hood cast shadows across his face, making it even harder to examine him.

Damn, he’s a good assassin.

But time was wasting. He was going to unfreeze at anytime, so I hurried and began the summoning.

“I, Lazarus Voisine, call forth the Soul of ‘Winter’,” I chanted. The key to summoning is knowing the owner’s name. “Show me your true form and lend me your strength!”

I looked deep into Winter’s spirit, which is where all Souls reside. There was nothing but darkness, and for a second it seems like he had no Soul.

But only for a second.

The darkness transformed, shaping into a beast that was indescribable and unfathomable. It filled me with strong emotions like I’ve never felt before. Fear, anger, sadness, but most of all, pain. Each emotion so powerful, my heart felt like it was going to break.

It was so painful that it forced me outside of his spirit.

I took deep breaths and fell on my knees. I heard a cold sheathing of a sword and looked up. Winter had withdrawn his sword, but he still kept his gun out.

I was expecting some more paper-talk, but instead he put words in my head.

A time stopping spell to look in the depths of my soul. Tell me, what is it like in my spirit?

“Incredibly cold and hurting,” I panted between words. His words made my head’s inside itch.

I, too, have looked into your soul. I can see your hatred towards the Marvinian Empire in your eyes. You wish to put an end to Emperor Marvin and his ways.

I stared at him, looking surprised. His perception was good enough to read me through my eyes?

My breath came back to me and I stood up again. Winter was looking my way. Everything on him is so… black. His black coat, black gloves, black boots. His hair was probably black too. I couldn’t see anything beneath his hood.

You wish to stop the Emperor, his words itched in my head. It was then I realized Winter could be a female for all I knew. But you cannot do it alone. Allow me to accompany you and I will spare your life.

And I didn’t have a choice now did I?

“What’s the catch?” I said, feeling like I wouldn’t like his answer.

Just let me do my job. He paused for a second and I assumed that I didn’t know what he meant so he continued. I am an assassin. Surely I do not have to explain further?

“You want to stop the Marvinian Empire?” I questioned. He hasn’t moved since he was unfrozen from being stopped.

It is one of the missions I aimed for. Though like you, I cannot do it alone.