The Secret Cult

Chapter Fifty-Five

                                   ~Angelica~

     My breath was ragged as I ran back to the hill in where Jaern was last sighted. I leaned forward onto my knees, and continued to gulp in breaths of air.
      Even as my lungs cried for oxygen, my chest couldn't help but erupt into the spontaneous convulsions of laughter.
     I did that.
     I just literally tore apart some people using a power I hardly understood how to use. Viciously. And made it feel so simple.
     I continued to laugh maniacally before I began to cough and hack.
     I placed a hand on my chest, and I kneeled forward onto one knee. However, this didn't help my fit as I continued to lightly convulse and shake underneath the sudden coughs.
     My tongue tasted iron as I brought my hand to cover my mouth. The moment it met my lips, something wet was there.
     I nearly instantly pulled my hand back, blue specks of blood left on my thumb, which made my stomach turn.
     Uh oh.
     I placed my hand back to my lips, and I pulled it back once more. Thankfully, it was only very small specks this time.
     Surprisingly, mother offered me no support here as I finally gasped for air one last time, and I swallowed. My tongue no longer held onto the taste of blood, which sent off a pang of confusion and worry through my chest.
     I took in a slightly shaking breath, but I stayed put. I took in stabilizing breaths before I looked to the knife in my hand darkly.
     Thanks to the deaths of those Sky Cult interlopers being at the hands of magic, my clothes and hands weren't stained with blood.
     Though I did stab one of them, so the knife in my hand was stained with the baked, crusted blood of my first victim.
      I sighed as I drew my index finger over the blade. Some of the dried blood flaked off easily, so I shrugged lightly.
      I lowered my hand, and proceeded to clean the evidence by wiping it off in the grass.
     I began to reflect on the deed. The ways I had gotten rid of those cultists was torturous.
     It was heinous, but that's what made it exciting.
      Especially since I took my new magic for a spin.
     Mother had said that I learned quick. She didn't exactly condone what I did to those humans, but she was impressed by my sheer raw magical ability.
     I racked my brain for the other short lessons Nyx gave me, just in case I'd need them again.
     Surely I would.
     I rubbed my chest once more as I finally got to my feet.
    Angelica, Jaern was last seen flying near the city you attacked first... Helios. Right now, Ananke just veered him north-western and Tethys is on his tail. He seems to have gone towards your modern... Amphitrite. Ananke is confident that is where you shall trap him.
     "Mm. Gotcha." I said. "Then she is right. There is where he will make his last stand as Augur. I will instruct my cultists to help Ananke and Tethys keep him on track to Amphitrite."
     Good. However, make sure you have plenty going relentlessly on Jaern's underlings. Surely they'll try to intercept.
     "Yeah. That's what most of them should be doing now." I said. "I'll dial up Astelle and see what we can do."
      Mother didn't respond, but I took that as the green light as I pulled my phone from my bag.
     I sighed as I pressed Astelle's contact, and pressed my phone to my ear.
     Astelle didn't pick up immediately. However, on the last ring, I heard her voice come though.
     "Angelica! Hey, what's up? Sorry, I'm trying to help Christian take on these cultists! So I'm gonna need this message to be quick! Duchess, Psychic!"
     I smiled at the command in my ear.
     "I need some of you guys to come help me. We're so close to trapping Jaern in Amphitrite City, and we need to make sure that's where he goes!"
     "Dazzling Gleam!! Okay, I gotcha! I'll beat these guys and round up a group!" She responded.
     "Great. I'll see you in Amphitrite, then." I said before clicking the end call button.
      I sighed as I leaned back against the mound of dirt that was behind me.
     Apparently this is where Persephone is supposed to be.
      Then lucky me she's not.
      I rubbed my temples before I reached back into my bag. I put my phone down before I retrieved Xerneas's capsule.
     I stole a look at it for a moment. The thoughts of returning Xerneas before the massacre swirled quickly in my mind's eye.
     Surely she'd ask what had happened.
     Something in my gut hoped that she wouldn't.
     I took in a stabilizing breath as I tossed the Pokéball.
     "Xerneas," I said.
     Of course, Xerneas appeared before my eyes at my call. She turned to look at me, and she stared for a moment.
     Her gaze met mine. I tried to keep my face neutral, but the worry that she's ask kept my stomach swirling. I waited for the question.
     And waited.
"... are we going?" Xerneas eventually addressed.
      I stared for a moment.
     What? No question?
      I inflated my cheeks with air before I nodded.
      "... yeah. Sorry. I guess I'm lost in thought." I responded. Xerneas obliged by bringing me up to her back. Once I was secure and gave her the signal, we darted off.