In Pursuit of Ruin

Chapter Five

A young woman's point of view

What's this immense mana I feel? Something's not right, its presence is affecting my blessing. I can't summon Cerberus! This is bad! What am I supposed to do? I'm exposed with no blessing to guard me! 

Oh, please! gods! Help me!

"Well, hello there..."

I screamed and clutched my heart.

"Ahh..! Don't scare me! I have a weak heart!"

His cheeks puffed up as if he was battling the urge to laugh.

"I'm sorry about that but may I ask for your assistance, Miss...?"

"My assistance, uhh? What for? I'm a mere summoner, I can only do so much.."

"A summoner? That's enough as it is!

I need you to keep that man hidden."

The strange man gestured to the hooded figure slanted against the lamppost, the man he addressed wasn't moving.

Is he unconscious? 

Growing worried, I scrutinize his appearance.

He gave off a pleasant air, his smiles were off-putting and the unconscious body that he brought with him was enough basis to conclude that he was a potential danger to me. Yet I nodded. Maybe that's the reason why I was swayed to obey!

He lowered down his gaze, he was inches taller than me and his black hair reminded me of death, a physical embodiment of a black crow. His eyes were furiously red, they carried a hint of something I can't quite deduce. 

He took my hat and smiled once again.

"Let me keep this for a while so I can easily track you in the future. I'm sorry but I have to go. I don't have much time. I'll pay you back, I promise,"

He winked, waving his hand, and vanished as quickly as he appeared, leaving me utterly baffled, it took me a whole minute to speak.

"A... man? Wait! Don't leave! I didn't agree yet!"

Weird, the overwhelming mana was gone. I can feel my blessing coursing through my veins... could it be? He's the one who carries that much mana? But how? A person can't be blessed with such an amount. I simply pray to the gods, you're no threat, dear sir!

But speaking of threat, I should see the man he's about.

I turned to my right and found the also mysterious man leaning against the lamppost with his face hindered by the hood of his gray jacket. 

I reached to uncover his hood, and an unfamiliar face came into view. 

All I know is this person is blessed with mecha. His cat ears spoke for the truth but why was he hiding his blessing? Did I ever encounter a person who is ungrateful toward the goodness of the gods?

No, this was the first.

I have to talk to my lord!

I cannot move on my will and act against him!

I crouched down, he looked vulnerable and his absence of mana made me think that he was running away from something and that enigmatic blessedness was an accessory to this. 

I took out my painter's brush and placed my wrist on the man's right cat ear, his ears were pointed and definitely metal. I gasped when the blood dripped and soiled his hoodie. 

I've been a summoner for so long but the pain is always new to me.

I swept the point of the brush on the blood like a palate of colors and painted a circle in the air. As the circle illuminated, blue light dazzled my eyesight and coldness oozed from the opened door of the underworld.