Awakening

Chapter 9: The Grand Mage

Chapter 9: The Grand Mage

The girls were travelling together for the first time and it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. Tomomi felt like the person that was left out even though Mami and her were on good terms. Rina isolated herself from the rest of the group, however, she could be seen a couple of meters ahead. Mami seemed to shut herself up after hearing what John had told her before he left. Tomomi heard the whole conversation, and it seems that Mami wants John to leave the Guild, but she can’t figure out why he would remain there.

Canta was floating beside her Tomomi and she was still disturbed about this Angel of Death. She kept to herself and pondered who that person would really be… could it be someone that she knew or…. Could it be one of them?  All of these thoughts made Canta frown in frustration as she shook her head many times.

What really was strange was the rare occurrence of anything living. All of the game seem to have just disappeared into thin air. The forest was still lush green, but there were some signs that some vegetation was growing… but the forest was oddly quiet. It was as if they were walking into a trap… The thought of getting ambushed and being separated from the rest of the group frightened Tomomi.

“Canta…” she looked at her worried, “Don’t you think it’s a little strange that a forest… is this quiet?”

“You are right Master, it was never like this in the past, but a thousand year sleep things can change… but rest assured.” She said confidently looking straight into her eyes, “My instinct tells me that there is a 95% that there will be no type of ambushes… so we are safe for the time being.”

“I hope you’re right, Canta.”

The crew ventured on for the next half hour without any signal of living forms but them. Rina was cool as ice, not fearing anything that may appear. Mami probably had the same mentality as well, Tomomi thought, but she knew that she was thinking about her old Guild and the people she left behind. Tomomi on the other hand was quite scared, despite her training and the strong warriors that she currently resided with. She had never experienced real combat in her life before… and this would be the very first time she may actually have to kill someone. She was hoping for the best and not having to resort to that.

Thankfully, Tomomi didn’t have to raise the sword, as they reached the Grand Mage’s place without much trouble. The house was a small little hut made out of wood. It seemed like it was a comfortable place that couldn’t fit more than six people, but regardless, it was a nice place to live in for a single person. Rina was waiting there impatiently while Mami stood there quietly looking at the forest as if she could see through them.

“Took you long enough, girl.” She said with a little bit of attitude. “Let’s go in, and talk to this sleazy man.”

Rina was the first one to enter, following Mami. Tomomi didn’t know what to expect, but with Canta there supporting her, she knew that everything would be alright. When Tomomi entered the room, she suddenly felt that nothing was right.

Upon entrance, she saw pictures of many girls of different ages. She didn’t have the time to count them all because she has never seen so portraits in a single household. It was an estimated… 140 portraits. In the center of it all, there was a really big picture frame of a lovely woman… which Tomomi found a little strange. There were also things decorated very feminine, another surprising thing from a so called “Grand Mage”. Rina and Mami seemed to pretend that they didn’t know this person, as they were trying their best to conceal themselves with their clothing.

Tomomi took a couple of steps forward and asked, “So… where is this Grand Mage?”

The girls didn’t answer but a voice out of no where did. “I’m right here!” It said cheerfully.