"...What happened?" Imaya asked as soon as they returned. I wonder what she was seeing. She told me she could not only see the beating of a life force, but the aura of all living things. Even traces of the past depending on the intensity of what had happened. I think maybe it's closer to clairvoyance for easier vocabulary.
"An enchanted crow entered the house." Klein answered.
"...What?" Imaya's brows furrowed as she strode further inside to inspect me. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"No... Sir Klein protected me. Don't worry." I gave her a weak smile.
"An enchanted crow..?" The Vice Captain repeated as he put the groceries down on the dining table carefully. "Do you know who might be responsible for the enchantment?" He asked, not noticing the tension that was present before they arrived.
"I already asked Miss Cher. They don't know." Klein answered for me once again.
"I think I might know." Imaya straightened her posture once she was sure I wasn't harmed.
We all looked at her in suspense. "Sir Klein... Have you seen the first person's face to pass by us the second we reached the main street?"
"You think he's the one responsible?"
"...He left traces of his malice on the crows. I know it's him." She confidently uttered as she turned towards the window in alarm. "Something is coming."
The moment she finished talking, a murder of crows came flying towards the window.
"I'll deal with them." Klein stood up as strands of water materialized with a deft motion of his hands. They intercepted each bird, holding them immobile suspended in the air as they struggled vigorously. It was coincidentally so similar to the freakish massacre in Ma-i that the picture merged together. I could feel myself freeze as cold sweat beaded my forehead.
"Miss Cher, are you okay?" Alfonso quickly came to my aid as I almost felt my consciousness slip into oblivion.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry- I just..."
Klein met my gaze, but I almost instantly avoided it.
"Is there anything we could do to stop this?" I asked, trying to compose myself.
"Only an experienced seer would know how to solve this..." Alfonso replied with a grim voice. "But why would someone use dark enchantment to harm you, Miss Cher?"
"I-I don't know..." Honestly, I have more questions than answers.
"There's two ways to counter this enchantment." Imaya uttered while staring at the dead crows that now littered the sideyard. "Converse with the enchanter."
"What if he...- or she's not reasonable to talk with?" I asked, licking my dry lips.
Imaya turned to me. "Then we'll make him reasonable."
"I don't think a confrontation is something we'd like to happen. This could alert other enemies. What's the second option?" Alfonso asked.
"I don't know... It's far too complicated for me to perform."
Alfonso's expression turned dim. "A physical confrontation should be our last resort. Damage control will be difficult without reinforcements. Not to mention there will be casualties."
Imaya glared at him through the veil. "I will take care of it. There won't be any such things. Now, rather than coming up with negative hypotheses, I'd rather be acting than prolong my friend's suffering." She opened the door leading to the sideyard, and knelt by the crows, whilst whispering a language we couldn't understand.
"Imaya... I'm alright... I appreciate your courage to do this, but I think it will be quite dangerous to confront him so quickly. I don't want you to get hurt." I tried to dissuade her as I followed behind.
"Do tell, Miss Cher. Your friend is quite impulsive." Alfonso looked irate as he stood beside me.
A glow suddenly emanated from Imaya's forehead, and I watched in awe at the sight. Soon, the dead crows' bodies seemed to glow as well, and one by one, white lights forming the figures of the animals floated above, disappearing into beautiful embers in the air. However, one figure stayed and landed on her shoulder.
"...You... What are you doing?" Alfonso asked in bewilderment. It was probably because he couldn't get a sense of what was happening. After all, a seer is the only one who can see things related to the Eldritch. As for why I could, I still have no concrete answer to the question.
"Praying for the dead." Imaya finally stood up before facing us. "I will not allow that stranger to continue hurting Cher nor these innocent lives." Her tone was calm, yet the words came out with a tenacity no one could defy. And I knew then, I wasn't the only one she's concerned with. In the days we lived together, we often talked about a lot of things, and I once asked her what does a seer really do?
"A seer isn't just a mediator. A seer protects what must be protected. We must have the right judgement to defend and care for the weak. Balance must always remain between the two worlds, and as bridges, we must remain in the middle so long as we live... That is what a seer is."
"Imaya...-" She is too righteous as a Seer, I'm afraid she might get hurt in the midst of fulfilling her duty.
"I must do something." Imaya cut me off as if she knew what I was going to say.
She guided the light on her shoulder so that it was resting on her arm before ushering it's own forehead to hers. Later on, it too, vanished and her eyes glowed for a moment as if she had seen something. A look of utter disgust and shock crossed her features as she lost strength in her knees. "I know where he is." I thought I heard her whisper, but I wasn't too sure.
***
A/N: I entered one of my novels in Watty's ongoing stories, so I might not be able to update this one as often as I'd like to.
It's titled [My words are law] I hope you can support it, too. 😊 thank you 🙏
