Locating
1010 Words
A few minutes of waiting later, Ethan opened the door and allowed us into his room. As we entered his now dark room, dimly lit by candlelights, I noticed a table in the center of the room, with a map, a napkin, and a needle set on it.
"Please, take a seat," Ethan insisted, setting a cushion and a small chair by one side of the table, and another cushion on the other side.
It did not take a genius to know that the chair was for Lilith, as I settled myself on the cushion, with the two nobles taking their spots as well.
"So, what spell are you going to cast that will help us find the other nobles?" I asked.
"So to say, it is a Curse Spell called Blood Locator," he answered. "A simple spell. One that requires me to prick a finger and use the blood to find the last person being thought of when the finger was pricked."
I felt a bit disturbed when he explained how the spell worked. "... You don't mean yours when you say 'prick a finger', do you?" I dare asked.
"That I don't," he confirmed. "Now then Caribbean, give me your hand."
As much as I did not want to, it was just going to be a prick, which may as well be similar to getting a shot, hopefully speaking. As such, I held out my hand to Ethan, who took it and picked up the needle from the table.
"Now think of the two nobles we are going to find. The spell will work better if you do," he then instructed.
"And on the off chance if I don't know what they look like?" I questioned.
"Names work, too."
At that, I took out the noble list and looked at two names on it; Kyle Icewink and Dylan Johanns. Almost as soon as I laid my eyes on the names, I felt something harshly poke into my finger, causing me to recoil in pain. "Ouch!"
"You'll recover. Now let the blood drop onto the map, right where we are," Ethan said, responsible for the poke.
Sending him a brief glare, I held my bleeding finger over the mark on the map, allowing a drop of blood to fall right on it.
As I wrapped my finger up in the napkin, Ethan summoned a blood red magic circle on the map. "Blood Locator." At those two words, my blood droplet glowed, and started forming a trail on the map. It was not a straight trail, as it was actually following along the paths on the map. At some point, the trail broke off into two, and stopped at the woods near the academy and the training area.
"The training area again?" I wondered out loud.
"One of them must've gone there after we convinced the crossbreeds to join," Lilith guessed.
"Well, now you know where they are at least. Can't say how long they'll be there, though," Ethan said.
"Just this alone helps a lot. Thank you, Ethan," I thanked.
"Do not mistake me. I am only doing this for Lilith. Considering her big heart, it is right to assume she will stick around you to help you in convincing the other two nobles to join. I just do not wish for my beloved to go off on a wild goose chase with a commoner. That being said, I will join you in your search. You will need updates on their whereabouts."
"I'm thanking you all the same. Though, I have to say, for a spell from Curse Magic, it sure is not in the least bit cursed. Gotta say, I'm really surprised."
"My magic may be Curse Affinity, but it is more active and effective around blood-based spells. And I will have you know, there is actually a backlash to Blood Locator, for the person whose blood was used for this spell is said to later experience some sort of mild anguish. Usually something small, such as tripping, per say."
When he said that, I was instantly reminded of the cost I will be paying later to one certain Poison Mage, and had a pretty good idea what the 'mild anguish' will be. "I-I see... W-Well, if you truly insist on coming along, that will be much appreciated. Very appreciated, actually," I hastily said, praying he will come along so Lilith does not decide to test her antidotes on me the second we step foot out the building.
"I believe I will, for I have recited several poems I urgently wish to read to my flower Lily."
"Oh, Ethan. You shouldn't have," Lilith spoke, in a tone that sounded quite dead to me.
While I could tell the teen was not looking forward to the poems he will be reading, the Curse Mage did not seem to notice the tone one bit. "Oh, but I must! I especially must read to you the many poems I had written during our time apart before we got accepted into the academy! I was so anxious about the results, I had written five times the amount I would usually write to you! I implore you allow me to read these many poems to you, my love!"
I glanced over to Lilith, feeling kind of bad for her for having such a devoted fiance. It's one thing to have a lover who loves you so, but one with as much love as Ethan's? It's bound to be overbearing. Thinking about it now, I am also quite impressed she managed to put up with his action.
Speaking of the female noble herself, I could not help but notice she had seemed more dead by Ethan's constant insistence, an act that made me feel more sorry for making her put up with this.
"... If you so insist..." she finally spoke, sending a glare my way, clearly telling me that ten tests were not going to cut it now.
... I truly hope I do not say goodbye to my second life...
- Writer
