Some 15 minutes back…

‘Just as I suspected, you have visitors.’ Miracle alarmed Alex sensing mana disruption in the environment. It hadn’t even been 10 whole minutes since his fight with Azmiel and now something else was popping up.

Alex tensed up as he found the space in front of him shoot a light upwards emerging from the magic circle formed on the ground. But his tension soon eased as soon as he recognized the person coming out from the light.

Clad in her blue and blackish Council attire, Rose stepped out of the light in front of Alex. She was followed by the other members of the task force. As soon as they had found Rose up in Blake’s private locker room, they woke her up. Ignoring her tired and fatigued condition, she quickly asked for some special device to be used. It was capable of sensing the mana trail left behind by any magic used in the environment.

After failing to stop Azmiel and Blake from taking Alex away at the school she had decided to carry a device as such in case something similar happened.

“Don’t worry, I am here to help…” Rose said carefully fully aware that Alex might look for an opportunity to run considering he was a fugitive.

Alex simply nodded in response. She breathed an air of relief. She had half expected him to be co-operative since she had already saved him once during his fight with Azmiel. To her it was possible that he thought of her as an ally or at least someone whom he didn’t see as an enemy.

Rose, “Merissa wants to talk.”

Rose quickly began to press some buttons on the bracelet on her wrist following which a transparent screen appeared displaying Merissa.

“Found him.” Rose said as she stretched her hand forward slightly for them to talk.

“Alex! Hey, kid! Are you alright?” Merissa asked a bit frantic.

Alex simply gave a tired smile. She immediately realized it was a dumb question to ask.

“Don’t worry, I know the curse is taking over your body but I won’t let it take you. I had a bond severer prepared for you. It should be able to break your link with that stone. There’s a 70 to 80% chance that it’ll sever it. You’ll be safe then!”

Alex remained silent as if contemplating something before saying, “Merissa I- I can’t come back to earth now… I need to do something here?”

“What?!” Rose and Merissa said in unison.

“What do you mean you have to do something? Listen, h-hey Alex, your life is at stake, we—

Alex, “I know, there is this—

Before Alex could say further a large flash of light rose to the sky from the ground similar to Rose’s teleportation.

“That magic circle… shit! it’s the royal forces! We need to cut the call Merissa.” The captain of the task force intervened quickly cancelling the call on Rose’s bracelet.

“Hey! We still needed—

“We can’t do that here in the open, not in front of them, Even more so when they have general level personnel here.” The captain explained not averting his gaze from the teleportation magic circle from which dozens of soldiers came out.

Alex quickly shook Rose to grab her attention. He whispered to her “I need you to do me two favors, first, tell Merissa to bring the bond severer to the city’s public graveyard near the tombstone of Adalistine by evening, tell her to trust me. This might be my only shot at living.”

Rose wanted to say something but then she felt a pleading look in Alex’s eyes and remained silent. “Second interrogate Azmiel and find out where the Black Cloud has held Blake’s sister. He isn’t all that bad you know.”

“No, this is not what I agreed to—

Before Rose could continue one of the general’s approached them. They were a ranking above captain levels like Gale.

“The unidentified human running around with an outer member of the Black Cloud. Where is he by the way?” Renardo asked casually as if Alex wasn’t a wanted individual.

“Oh, you may want to take a look in that direction.” Alex said as he pointed towards Blake’s direction. One of the general’s ordered two captains and a few guards to take a look. After a few moments they came back with Blake tied up in ropes. He was being carried by two guards as he was led here. A few seconds later Azmiel was also tied up with mana restraining chains and ropes.

“Who took this one out?” Renardo asked looking at Alex and the others. The task force captain remained silent as well as the other members.

Rose gave a glance towards Alex.

Renardo gathered from it. “You?” He asked surprised not sensing any mana from him.

“No comment …though it’s open to perspective.” Alex said as he rested his hands in his pant pockets. The general took a look at Alex and saw his slightly burned hands which he seemed to be hiding. The general revealed a slight smile.

“General Renardo, please allow me to carry out my missions of escorting him to lady Merissa.” Rose said to the general who had spoken earlier. Renardo, “Oh, but it seems like he is free from his cuffs, so what further use does that hold?”

Rose, “You see he is all new to this world and lady Merissa being the person he trusts, it’s better if he contacts with her first, it’ll also be a familiar face to him.”

Renardo, “Hm fine but he’ll have to hand over the stone first.” Hearing this Rose was at a loss of words for this.