Suddenly a foul smell hit Sora "What's that gods awful smell?" "What smell?" Kain asked. Sora looked between Z and Kain. They didn't seem affected by the smell. "It's dirty." "Is it blood?" Sora shook his head. "No, this is foul." "Soul eaters…" Z affirmed "…makes sense that you'd smell them. Shadow mages privilege. Be alert." "That means they're here." Kain noted. "We're going in." Slowly, Z pushed back on the door and they made their way in. They walked into the lair and didn't walk for too long before a strong grating voice came from within. "Welcome to the party, Hunters." Sora assessed the Soul eater as it emerged from the shadows. In appearance, it had a few things in common with the soul eater that had attacked him and Ryo. It had the gaunt skull-like head

His sudden movement startled Z. "What?" she asked completely confused. "Were you going to hit me?" "I wasn't." "Ohh… sorry." Sora relaxed. "Why would you think I would?" "No offense but… it's you." Z nodded, "Fair enough… welcome back. Took you long enough, you've been out all morning." "Where am I?" "The infirmary… Kain and I brought you here. He sends his regards by the way, he wanted to stay but Tydinn is out to get him so… yeah. You get it?" Sora nodded gently and sighed, and he sat up in bed. "Do you remember anything?" Sora was quiet for a while, recollecting events from the night before and then it dawned on him. "I'm a soul eater." "You are a mage." Z countered. "But I too

Vorak nodded to Anaise beside him, and he took over. "It has come to our attention that you are quite an unusual mage. We have questions and we would appreciate honest and very precise answers. Is that okay?" Sora nodded; "Please use your words, young mage, for the sake of clarity." Sora cleared his throat. "Yes, it is okay." "Before a month ago, how would you describe your life as a mage?" "Ordinary, useless and painful." "And why was that?" "I couldn't harness energy and I was useless to everyone and myself." "Any particular reason why you couldn't harness your energy?" "I have no idea. No one had an idea, not even the best mages knew why." His comment made the mages a bit uneasy and he could tell from the way their eyes shifted between each other.<

The coven leader charged at them too, sending his own charges at them. Sora's blue energy against the Coven leader's red filled the room as the fights continued.The number of soul eaters reduced but the coven leader remained strong. Swinging its claws in all directions, Sora was unable to find a direct opening to hit the coven leader. "Distract him," Sora yelled to no one in particular. Z was still busy slicing through the soul eaters and definitely couldn't hear a word Sora said but Kain ran towards the coven leader fully charged and swung his weapon at it from a close range, his blow landed but not before it could slash its claws at Kain's neck. He scratched Kain's neck, but it gave Sora enough time to hit the Soul eater with a full blast in the chest and it immediately burst into flames. With the soul eaters dead, they walked around the coven, entering each compartment for traces of the usual evidence they had

Z, who was ahead finally stopped on a building, and the rest stopped too.   "My home is that way." Kain said pointing left with Deki still on his back."   "Be careful especially with her around and be safe," Z warned staring daggers at Deki who remained quiet with her head bent behind Kain.   Kain smiled softly at Z "I will be. Thanks."   Kain bent again allowing Deki mount his back and they left.   Z stood watching till they were out of sight before pulling her eyes away.   "We have to go."     Sora and Z got back to the Academy a little past midnight. They took the usual route through the woods. A walk that Sora had gotten accustomed to.   "We have to see Tydinn first," Z noted.   Sora wanted to pass on the meeting but he didn't complain. Instead, he followed Z to Tydinn's office.Read more