She's not my girl (Adriel's POV)

"To think she got kidnapped so easily." I scoffed, "I expected more from her."

"She's just a low-grade necromancer, it's enough for her to survive against Karma," Yannick said who walked quietly beside me.

We stopped at a cliff, taking refuge in the shadows of the trees. It was a moonlit night that shone all over the panoramic view of the headquarters.

"What are you waiting for? Just go find Behemoth already." I ordered.

Yannick sighed, he was surely annoyed by being ordered around me. Nevertheless, he shape-shifted into a hawk and dived toward the headquarters.

I sat down, leaning against the old oak tree. I was sure she was trying her way to break out and make all of those guys regret their life to capture her. But, she could have been dead long ago.

I put my thoughts on a halt for a second, filling my lungs with the damp fragrance of the grass. Perhaps, they are trying to sabotage me by putting her life on the line. Thinking, I would gamble for her. If this ever happens, will I give up everything for her? I mean, she's just an illustrator living with ghosts. Why would I give my whole life to her? I just liked her art style and I want her to draw a portrait for me.

Right—I won't leave her till she draws my portrait. That feisty, lazy cat keeps on procrastinating when it comes to drawing my portrait.

Then, I saw Yannick from a distance, circling over an area above the headquarters. I flew over to him quickly. There were whistles and alarms all over as the guards got aware of our little visit.

I love how they welcome their intruders!

I stretched out my left hand nonchalantly. There was a sudden change in the surroundings, the gusts of strong wind blowing over the area which was windless and dry before. It's my work. I can, after all, control wind or Aerokinesis, they say.

I concentrated energy in my left palm and aimed for the windows. Time to pay a visit to my good ol' friend Behemoth. I hovered in the air for a few seconds, preparing for the welcome attack. I let go of a sharp razor of wind before their men could attack us. The musical sound of the windows being shattered touched my ears. I flew inside the room from the broken windows, to meet my friend of course!

Since I can’t let Yannick to be idle, I let him search for that nasty minx. He flew away, frustrated of course.

"Look who's here!"

Behemoth laughed and looked at me. His dirty blonde hair fell over his forehead and his mossy green eyes looked at me from above his golden framed spectacles. His office too was overwhelmingly golden. Suits him as he’s an Alchemist addicted to gold.

"You haven't changed a bit." I clenched my jaws, even his face was infuriating enough for me.

"You hoped I would change?" He mocked and put his hand on his chest.

My lips curled into a smirk, "Looks like you need a memory refresher now."

"But I am assuming you didn't come here to talk of the golden memories." He stood up from his chair and walked to the center of the room. I let out a scoff and leaned against the golden wall. I wonder if it is made up of real gold, maybe I would let my men steal some of this one day.

"Right, you dared to kidnap someone I know." I let out a small chuckle.

"I don't remember giving an order to kidnap anyone." He tilted his head slightly.

"So now you're suggesting that I'm wrong" I pinched the bridge of my nose as my temper started to rise.

"There must be some misunderstanding." He shrugged casually.

"Don't give me that attitude." I snapped and forced a violent blow of wind to enter the room through the broken windows. His spectacles flew away along with the wind but he stood calmly in the storm. The wall calendar of his office fluttered vigorously, its noise filling the room. I stopped my assault.

"You cocky wind user." Behemoth put his hand on his face and laughed.

"Where is she?" I asked and stepped closer to him to stand face to face.

"I have no clue." He shrugged again.

I grabbed his collar, "Spit. Out." I commanded.

"I'm not interested in kidnapping your girl." He protested.

"She's not my girl!" I spoke up abruptly, completely flustered. A tint of light pink floated on my cheeks.

"Then why are you so concerned and... you’re blushing?" He grabbed my hand to let go of his collar stood beside me and gave a playful nudge to my elbow.

"I'm not concerned, I'm just-" I stammered as if all the words were dead but I was forced to speak up again, "I'm just a fan of her art style."

"Oh, she's an artist?" he mused, "Well, we certainly are not interested in kidnapping artists."

"And, what if I found her here?" I crossed my arms.

"Then, we can have a fight." He said and went back to put his chair back in its place which was displaced by the wind.

I laughed, "You think your Alchemy can fight with me?"

He remained quiet, but a prominent smirk floated on his pale and ghastly face. I plopped down on the little chair which survived the wind.

Now, I'll wait for Yan to bring that idiot back.

*****

Lovisa

A drop of blood fell from my cheek. To think that a petty necromancer like me will ever get caught in such a big mess. I'm not even born strong and yet I'm here. God, what’s your problem?

Before I could glance at Quentin again or utter a word, I came down crashing on the ground. The noise was as loud as thunder. I felt a shiver run down my spine, it was strikingly cold. My head spun and I held my head, slowly sitting on the ground. I looked up. Him again.

A part of me wanted to scream, but I laughed. Habits, you know.

"We meet again, sir," I said sounding as pleasant as I could.

I expected him to speak something, but he didn't. He looked at me and raised his left arm. I quickly backed off. He dashed at me, creating a beautiful ice dagger in a fraction of a second. He nearly got me, but Quentin let out an enormous jet of water. It was clear that he was at his limit.

Ghosts are like glitches. They are the bugs in the system of life and death. However, if a person with meticulous abilities were to die and become a ghost due to reasons, they still possesses their abilities in the form of 'Hex'. Hex in simple terms is like a weakened form of abilities of a person. If a person dies, their powers are weakened. If the ghost possesses an object under a contract with a necromancer, then their lost power will be regained as Hex, and in some cases, they can be stronger than their human form, but it solely depends on how powerful the necromancer is. Which I certainly am not.

Also, if a ghost were to use excessive Hex without a contract, they are prone to become visible to humans till the time they restore their Hex from the environment, and assuming in this form, Quentin is a D-grade ghost. So, we don't stand a chance against this ice maniac.

Quentin shot a glance at me. A signal to run and I did. I ran as fast as I could. My racing skills coming handy in such a situation. My breath was ragged and labored. I was in some endless corridor, running hopelessly in every direction. The impact of the collapse started to have an effect on me. My body ached. I am not used to all this stuff.

I don't know but it seems that the heavens grudge me now. In the midst of some unknown commotion, I ran into the annoying brown-haired guy from before. His plain white shirt stuck to his body, revealing his abs while his blue jeans were dripping, leaving a wet trail behind him. He also had a bruise on his forehead which in my opinion was deserved actually.

"So the princess is trying to run away?" He said, his dirty eyes looked up and down my figure.

I threw my head up in disbelief and laughed, "Run away? I was just exploring these wonderful corridors."

I walked a few steps towards him. There was a good difference of quite a meter among us.

"Quite an explorer!" He remarked sarcastically, "But, now you're coming with me."

He stretched out his right arm and pointed a pistol at me. I decided to play along and held my hands in the air.

"Easy." I said, "I thought you were an ability user."

"Who told you I'm not an ability user?" He smirked and tilted his head, "I feed on emotions, darling."

This guy is full of surprises. I don't find him menacing at all, despite all of his big talk.

He observed me and as I am guessing he can read emotions. My emotions were full of disbelief and disappointment. Quite contrary and unexpected from which he would have expected.

He sighed and covered his face with his hand, the pistol still pointed towards me.

"Looks like, I have to show you a bit of my power." He let out a long sigh.

How I hoped I could have been scared at this despite knowing that he is dangerous. But I didn’t, because I’m stupid.

He lowered down his pistol and kept it back in his waist’s leather belt which was as brown as his hair, perhaps a little darker. From his right hand, a bright pink chain lashed out towards me. I felt my whole body jerk at his sudden attack.

"Love chains." He commented, "It can enslave a person and make them fall in love."

The actual heck! Wasn't he about emotions? And why this cringe move out of everything?

I started to run. A desperate effort despite knowing I would be caught. How can I fall in love with such a cringe person? Wasn't there anyone better? Heavens do hate me.

I felt a swift white thing fly towards me and it smacked the chains on the ground.

A hawk. I don't know, but a hawk saved me from a major catastrophe. But it simply implies that a hawk is better than me. A hawk is better than me...

Walter's eyes darkened. I could see a maniacal look on his face. He started to move forward in the direction of the hawk.

"Who are you?" He asked the hawk.

Is he talking to the hawk? Psychopath. How can a hawk talk?

The hawk suddenly changed into a human. Now, there was someone in front of me with messy white hair, reaching his shoulders. He had a lanky build and a pale white complexion, like Blizzard but taller. He stood with his back against me. I couldn't help but feel this person oddly familiar.

"Tsk. Tsk. You are an ordinary shapeshifter." He shook his head sorrowfully, "I hoped for something better."

Suddenly, a loud siren set off and there were shouts and whistles audible all over the area.

"Intruders? Must be you guys then." He looked at the shapeshifter.

The shapeshifter looked at me and said in his deep voice with a poker face, "I'm with Adriel, wait for a moment till I handle this moron."

“Moron?” He gave an angry smirk.

I nodded in agreement and went towards a corner in the corridor. I remember him, he is supposed to be some Nick or something. I can't help but sulk. If I were to be born with some good powers, I would be invincible and win every battle. Yet, here I am, acting as a damsel in distress. I stomped the ground with my foot and looked at those guys. I was too angry to listen to their conversation. Everyone gets to have fun while I sulk around (Fun for Lovisa is to battle at par with her opponents).

I looked at those guys again. Nick or whoever he may be, turned into a magnificent white serpent and the other guy was throwing fire at him. Bright crimson fire mingled with venom. So, the love chain thing must be his Lust/Love form and this one must be his Anger form. I can't help but admire them. They look so focused and proud of themselves. Why was I born so weak?