2: Departure

Rivers of rain trickled on the dome over Shay, Ellmeria, and their assailant. From Shay’s dagger, blue threads emerged and slithered towards their target at an alarming speed; effortlessly, the gray man bolted between the azure whips and leaped to an awning on the streetside.

Ellmeria clicked her tongue, “Shay, keep him still for five seconds!”

“I’ll try!”

He vaulted from the awning from which he perched and charged the blonde-haired man; the maiden alongside Shay whispered a cold breeze, blinding their assailant momentarily and allowing his dagger’s whips to ensnare the enemy; the azure whips burned and then froze his skin from their cold touch, raising a grunt of pain from the gray man. While he used his mighty strength to tear the whips off one by one, Ellmeria shut her eyes and held her hands close to her head, dropping Mizmin; a shimmering white light began to envelop the man.

The gray man shouted, “Curse ye who abuse spirits!”

Just as he broke free, a violent snap echoed through the air and the light collapsed in on itself, vanishing Ellmeria’s enemy. Not a single trace of their enemy remained; Shay’s face mixed with astonishment and fear as his eyes interrogated the area for the man.

“What was that? Ellmeria what did you do?”

“It’s a special type of magic. It teleported him away.”

“Pray tell why you hadn’t used it earlier?”

She hesitated, “...I don’t particularly enjoy using it, and besides, without my staff the casting time isn’t practical for battles.”

An unfamiliar call startled them, “Do the two of you require assistance?”

An olive-skinned man holding a red-tipped spear approached them with three other men trailing behind.

“I am High Exorcist Mihail and these are my associates; we are pleased to make your acquaintance. I received reports of an attack that happened in a nearby establishment, given you’re battle-ready, I suppose you have some idea as to what happened?”

Shay spoke up, “Not particularly, good sir. Me and this fair lady here were both attacked without warning; we were able to drive our attacker off, but we know little of his intentions or background.”

“I see. Could you describe the man for us? We’ll keep an eye out, and you’re always welcome at the church if you feel unsafe and require safeguard.”

Ellmeria and Shay recounted their experience with the bizarre man of moderate gray, including his utterances about the abuse of spirits and otherworldly strength. Due to the chaos and fear from another potential attack, they expedited the report to Mihail, said farewell, and prepared for their departure by returning to the inn for Ellmeria’s staff.

Dust crowded the inn room and inspired coughing from the three who entered; in addition, the walls were falling apart and emanated a strange scent. When Shay first walked in he nearly hurled in disgust from the scene. Even Mizmin let out a sharp pout.

Luckily, they planned to spend little time there. After their report to Mihail, and on the walk to the inn, he explained that his infatuation had been spotted in a nearby village, and that they should desire to depart as soon as possible. The longer spent in this room and in Celta Ciara, the further the demon seed girl could escape, and the greater the chance that whoever attacked them, would return.

This had been their arrangement until Shay derailed it with a conversation, “Earlier, you never summoned a spirit.”

“So?”

“Well, similarly to your staff, spirits boost magical energy, although it is somewhat different as catalysts such as your staff and my dagger modify power and hasten casting time, whereas spirits grant us aid by using spells more powerful than us humans could ever cast. And you were able to cast such a powerful spell without the need for one.”

“...”

“Unless Mizmin was the caster and your secret spirit who’s been summoned all along!”

“He’s not my spirit, but you are correct: I can cast great spells without the need for a spiritual contract.”

“You seem reluctant to tell, so I will not further badger. My only concern is retrieving my beloved, so your business and secrets do not bother me—so long as they do not hinder our quest.”

A brief silence unfurled in the dusty room.

“Tell me, Shay, do the people of this land abuse spirits? Was the man correct in stating that?”

“I can’t say I’m aware of it. My spirit is bound to me by contract, and it’s my knowledge that everyone in Celta Ciara does the same.”

Ellmeria’s focus shifted again, almost interrupting his answer, “Crap! I forgot to give Mizmin his medicine.”

She reached into her bag with a solemn look and murmured, “I’m getting low on the antidote. This is bad.”

Shay looked over her shoulder, “You can’t make more? Is his sickness so serious that it requires some rare remedy?”

“It’s a serious curse and I don’t know the recipe for the medicine. These are all stolen remedies created by my mother.”

She removed the cap from one of the last remaining vials and steadily poured it into the furball’s mouth. Perhaps due to the antidote's strong scent and the dusty air, Mizmin coughed viciously.

“We should really be leaving now. We’re losing precious time, and the less time I have to spend in this room the better.”

Shay nodded in agreement while holding his nose shut. Traveling through Celta Ciara posed little trouble to the two due to Shay’s strong familiarity with the city, but passing the gate was another matter entirely. The guards were not keen to let any man or woman through except for merchants, exorcists, and politicians; it was a city whose safety came at the expense of doubling as a prison. Even locals who sought an exit to visit family were subjected to harsh scrutiny from the guards.

When they eventually shedded their suspicion and convinced the guardsmen to allow them passage, they stepped out onto a vast expanse of open grass adorned by a humble dirt path illuminated in moonlight. The day had passed fast and as they departed under the evening sky, Ellmeria reached into her bag avoiding Mizmin who rested in its embrace.

She produced from it a singular bottle, one different from the vials of medicine.

“What’s this?”

“It’s my signature drink, a tea from the petals of anomalous flowers. Try it, everyone who has sipped it has described it as rejuvenating.”

And so they shared a toast—to their new partnership and the journey that lay ahead.