The way to become the Great Sorcerer

Chapter 10: A Night to Remember

The night of the city was full of people bustling in the streets. The lights of every building add up to the ethereal ambiance of the city. People who are minding their own business, shopping, eating, going home. The main street was crowded. In the dark alley of the city where no one ever paid attention to. A couple went and hid. The couple laughed and hugged each other, giving kisses to each other’s necks. The woman moaned as the man’s hand went up to her chest, groping it. 

A sudden dark figure appears behind the man, the woman shrieked when she notices in which his lover flinches. He panicked and snapped his head behind him. But he sighed when he realized who the dark figure was. 

“Oh, it’s you, I thought It was someone important.” 

This made the unknown man squint his eyes. The woman stands there agape. Her lover looks at her and smiles reassuringly telling her that he is one of his friends. He fixes her dress, covering her bare chest. He kissed her before letting her go. Even though she was hesitant to leave her lover, she didn’t have any choice when he insisted. When the woman was out of sight, the man glared at the other.

“Man~” he sighed, rubbing his temples. 

“Don’t just show up like that, Nekane. You scared my girl.” He leaned on the walls taking out a cigarette. The man that was said to be Nekane, huffed because of his statements. 

“You didn’t go to the meeting, Cara.” 

Nekane approached him and swatted his cigarette since he didn’t like the scent of smoke, Cara returned it with a shocked expression, glancing at his cigarette on the floor. He gave out a sorry look. 

“Surely you didn’t forget that you are a part of the apostles now, do you?” Cara looked at him aggressively. He rubbed his blonde hair and exhaled annoyingly. “I forgot.” He gave out an ass excuse, which Nekane didn’t like. 

“How come you forgot? Astrid notified you.”

 Cara clicked his tongue when he heard the name. Astrid is one of their comrades, the 12th apostle. Though Cara didn't like her, even one bit he always tried to ignore the said woman. But because of Astrid’s feelings for him, she didn’t think of giving him up. Even to the point of almost ruining his relationship with his girlfriend. 

“Is it because of that human girl?” Cara snapped his head, eyes widened. He panicked and a sense of nervousness washed on him when Nekane mentioned his lover.

“Don’t you ever touch her, Nekane, or I swear I’ll rip your heart out,” Cara warned Nekane.

 He gave Cara a deadpan expression. He was amused by the actions of Cara. ‘Who would’ve thought…’ He scoffed at Cara. “Then don’t neglect your duty as an apostle. You’re becoming more human when you’re with her.”

 Nekane walked away from Cara. He smirked when he remembered the scared girl, fantasizing when he recalled the bare chest that he had seen. Cara gulped, He knows that this guy is capable of doing things no one can imagine, ‘and if he hurt Natasha, I wouldn’t even know what I’ll do…’ Cara remembers her lover. 

He met Natasha 8 months ago, Natasha was an owner of a bar he usually went to. Every time Cara went to the bar, he and Natasha talked every time. It led them to have an interest in one another. Cara, who was really into it, offered a one-night stand to which Natasha agreed. 

After it they began to meet casually, their one-night stand became frequent.  Natasha, who had enough of their relationship with no progress finally confessed to him. It made Cara happy and made their relationship official. Astrid who had feelings for Cara end up finding out about their relationship. 

Astrid was furious, feeling jealous. She almost killed Natasha. Fortunately, Cara stopped her at the right time. This made Astrid mad. They fought, Nekane who was with Astrid stopped the fight. However, their luck was gone when the higher-ups found out about their feud. They end up giving Astrid a mission away from the city. 

Astrid and Nekane were the only ones who knew about her lover but it doesn’t mean that his uneasiness was gone. He knew all too well that both of them had an unstable mind, that they could tell the higher-ups about it. Now that Astrid is back, he can’t help feeling frustrated. Cara was careful, he always does everything that the higher apostles ask, but this time he did forget about the meeting. 

“Nagi and Gini are dead.”

 Cara looked at him, surprised. They began to walk out of the alley, jumping to the high wall, heading to their temporary headquarters. “Those little shrimps? I thought you enhanced them. Even the higher apostles don’t know about it, I’m pretty sure that they can capture that little demon.” Cara was in a state of bewilderment. 

Enhancement of another fallen is taboo in their organization. Nekane’s way of enhancing his goons was giving them a little bit of his blood. Blood transfusion is forbidden in sorcery since it has a chance to kill someone if given by another blood. The result is harsh since it can damage your body, enough for it to slowly decay your organs. ‘If the higher-ups know about this, Nekane will surely be punished. That didn’t mean that I would be safe either since I didn’t report it to them. I’m enough to be called his accomplice .’ 

Jumping on the roofs of every building, Nekane and Cara caught sight of their temporary headquarters. Landing on the roof. They noticed that there was someone who was standing as if he was waiting for the both of them. The man with curly silver hair was standing there at the edge of the rooftop.

 Nekane and Cara kneeled paying respects to the man. ‘s**t why is he here?’ Both of them thought. Cold sweat dripped from their heads. “Greetings to the second apostle.” The man who was called ‘Neo’ gave them a deadpan expression before looking away.  

Neo Cretillon was one of the second most powerful apostles. He is quiet and aloof. Members of the organization who are below in the top three can’t even approach him since he always ignores those who don’t deserve to be on his side. The two of them gulp, scared of the powerful presence in front of them. Suddenly the door swung open revealing a man with a big stature, his long hair waves as it was blown in the cold wind. 

“Ah, there you are, you two-wait, why are you kneeling?” The man raised his arms greeting the two of them. 

Cara and Nekane were shocked to see who it was. ‘Thought about unlucky.’ Cara thought as he looked down, finding the floor more amusing than the two in front of him. ‘Why did we have to run into them?’ Nekane grits his teeth. 

“Come on get up, you look like you were being punished.” The man said with a loud voice. The two of them stood up, hesitant to look at them. “Cara, Nekane.” The man called out to them, even though they don’t want it they can’t help but to look at him, raising their heads.  

Both of them flinched on what greeted them. The man was in front of them with a terrifying expression. They gulped, unable to move. Suddenly the appearance of a red magic aura surrounds them. “Why are you so scared? It’s not like I’ll kill you.” He leaned at the both of them, his aura getting stronger as seconds passed. 

“Jaakobah, stop that.” 

An old man appeared behind the man called Jaakobah. 

“Mabuz.” 

Jaakobah glanced at him, giving him a side-eye. The old man who was named Mabuz squints his eyes, giving Jaakobah a warning. Jaakobah, who was pissed off by the sudden appearance of the old man, walked away, heading inside the building. Cara and Nekane felt a sense of relief through their bodies when Jaakobah left. 

‘I thought I’m going to die.’ Cara and Nekane thought at the same time. Mabuz nods his head indicating to follow him inside in which both of them did. Before Mabuz went inside, he glanced at Neo before heading back. They went into a room with a large door, the door opened revealing a circular table some of the members of the 12 apostles were there. 

“Finally, I was bored waiting.” A red-haired girl commented, leaning her head to her hands. 

Jaakobah was also there sitting with a crossed arm still feeling pissed that Mabuz interfered. Cara and Nekane sit in their correspondent seats. All of the seats were labeled from 1 to 12 except for one seat and that seat was taken by Mabuz. The room went silent as Mabuz sat on his chair. Cara scans the entire room; he catches his eyes to the woman who was seated in Number 12.  ‘Astrid…’ he glared for a second and then slightly flinched when his eyes locked with hers. Astrid smiled at him that made Cara shiver. He looked away and noticed an empty seat. ‘Seat number two, Neo’s seat.’

 “Now let’s begin our meeting,” Mabuz said, intertwining his fingers on top of the table.

An hour ago, in the same city, four young adults were strolling in a nearby park, the silence was heard between the four of them. Lucas and Neveah were behind Larcade who was rubbing his butt still feeling the pain. Damian was behind the two who were busy sniffing his now stinky clothes. Lucas and Neveah feeling guilty were looking down. They were relieved when Damian didn’t do anything to them a while ago. 

‘This silence is suffocating me.’ Both of them thought. But then they bumped into Larcade when he suddenly halted. Both of them flinch when he snaps his head at both of them.

 “Did you know what you’ve done?” 

They pursued their lips mumbling sorry but Larcade didn’t hear them. Larcade turned around walking away. Lucas and Neveah followed suit. Suddenly Damian stumbled upon a rock causing him to collide with Neveah. Neveah, who was surprised, grabbed Lucas’ shirt to not let herself fall, but Lucas was also dragged. They saw Larcade’s back and also collided with him. Larcade, who was surprised, tried to maintain his balance but to no avail, his efforts were wasted. 

Unfortunately for them, they were in front of a pond in the park. In the end, all of them fell into the filthy water, soaking wet from head to toe. They couldn’t process what happened. All of them were baffled at the sudden situation. Their annoyance was the first thing they felt but when they stared at each other they couldn’t help but laugh. How unlucky for the four of them.

 It was a situation where you can technically call it out ‘stupid’ but it was a sight to remember. Four individuals who had nothing to do with each other have already started to get closer. Like friends who have known each other for years that meet again for the first time.

They went out to the filthy pond, the cold airbrushed at them which made them shiver. They hugged their bodies to protect themselves from the cold. “So, where are we heading now?” Lucas said his hair that was neatly styled was now wet and covering his eyes. 

 “Our house, duh?.” The three of them agree walking away but they halted, realizing something, they look at Damian. 

“Where will you go?” Neveah asked, staring at him. 

“ You should not concern yourself with me. I will look for a safe place to sleep for the night. Maybe in that playground” He said pointing at the nearby playground. “Or a tree. Just perfect enough to guard the successor.”  His voice was serious and stern.

All three of them were shocked. ‘Think about it, he’s been inside a prison for 20 years and just escaped. And the only thing he has in mind is to safeguard me. Larcade thought, also slightly concerned of the young lad. ‘I appreciate the action but I can’t just let him sleep anywhere that would make me too shameful.’ 

The three of them stared at each other sensing the others' sympathy. Neveah approaches Damian in which Damian backs away. Neveah, who was surprised by his actions, pulled Damian. Damian panicked. He tried to remove Neveah’s hands, embarrassed by the physical touch. But before he can do that Neveah dragged him. Lucas and Larcade’s eyes followed the both of them when they passed them.

 “Wait where are you going?” Larcade ran to them, Lucas followed. 

“I declare that we will have a sleepover.”

 When Neveah said that Larcade halted his steps. Neveah glanced at him, also stopping her tracks. 

“Where?” Larcade asks, sensing something will happen that he surely wouldn’t like. 

“At your house?” 

Larcade’s mouth opened, shocked by her statement. After a few seconds of regaining himself, he shakes his head saying 

“No.”, but Neveah nods his head saying “Yes.”, they both did it for a mere 3 seconds.

 “Lucas is also coming too.” Lucas slightly flinched when she mentioned his name. 

“What-who are you to decide that?” Lucas expressed his refusal. Neveah glared at him with an unreadable expression. Lucas gulped, feeling himself shrink to Neveah’s stares. He stands there pursing his lips, unable to refuse her. ‘Women are scary creatures.’

Lucas saw Neveah and Larcade still bickering about who’s house. He sneaks away trying to escape. He thought because of her business with her cousin she wouldn't catch on about his escape but suddenly a force grabbed his collar pulling him back. He glanced at it and it was Neveah’s hands. Lucas sighed, feeling defeated. Damian, who watched Lucas, did the same too. Luckily for him, Neveah didn’t notice.  He was about to run away when a hand grabbed his collar. He thought that Neveah caught him. He looked behind him to see who it was and to his surprise it was Lucas. Who wore an expression of; 

‘If-I’m-coming-you’re-coming-too’. 

Damian gulped knowing and understanding what he meant.