13 In The Shadows

"Nah, they're really close childhood friends. You can say they're like brother and sister. Though sometimes Zordyz is more like a guardian to Yuenelia and Yuenelia a caretaker to Zordyz. They go both ways." Triniekit said with a smile on her face.

"Hmmmm..." And with that, Aexiq walked off.

'Weird, why is he interested in whether those two are in a relationship? He's only been here for a month. Don't tell me he's after Yuenelia?' Triniekit's mind spun quickly.

She turned back to look at the two. They indeed looked like a couple from afar. Most childhood friends, especially if they are of a boy and a girl would have drifted apart as they grew up. But so far, the bond between those two has remained unchanged.

Triniekit has been friends with Yuenelia since the beginning of junior high and had seen them together almost every day for the past three years.

She might not have been close with Zordyz but the number of times Yuenelia talked about him was enough for her to know him quite well.

Yuenelia has always been concerned with Zordyz and the way she called him was affectionate as well. While Zordyz might not show the same level of affection as a whole on the surface, he was always there when Yuenelia needed protection. Thus, people referred to him as Yuenelia's 'guardian wolf' rather than a boyfriend.

Zordyz has probably glared at everyone who looked his way but never once had Triniekit seen him did that to Yuenelia. His glare would slowly dissipate whenever he heard her voice.

They have such good chemistry that at first, their friends find it a mystery why they haven't started dating yet. But slowly, as time went by, they understood Zordyz and Yuenelia's relationship.

They have known each other for so long, there's already a sense of family between them. It would be strange for them to suddenly date.

'Well, this is why people will never leave them alone. Not that I can help it. It's because they're not dating that the rest saw it as a chance to flirt and hit on them.' Triniekit sighed as she left the classroom.

After a whole week of doing nothing but going to school and sleeping as soon as he reached home, Zordyz's body was finally back to its original schedule.

Feeling the soreness in his muscles from not moving his body, he went out to play ball with Ayden and the gang in the evening like he used to again.

Milya cannot be more relieved to see her son active again. All that hibernating has got her worried.

While Zordyz was out playing basketball, a sinister figure was hiding in the shadows in the dark alley opposite to Yuenelia's house. It fixed its gaze on her room's window.

When it saw Yuenelia walking past the window, it grinned, showing rows of sharp teeth. "Found you...kekeke"

Sensing something was watching her, Yuenelia looked out the window. But the figure was long gone.

'Maybe it's just my imagination.' She continued doing her work.

Soon, night fell and Zordyz was on his way home. As he passed by the alley, his nose picked up a peculiar smell. The smell of burnt leather.

He noticed a different smell mixed in it; a faint smell of magic spark.

Magic spark is the term they used to describe the presence of offensive-based magic spells. They are considered dangerous spells. All kinds of magic spark are prohibited and only those who work in law enforcement were allowed to use them.

The people who break the rules will be severely punished.

The smell of magic spark is unique and very faint but his sense of smell was keen enough to be able to catch a whiff of it.

Zordyz frowned. "Someone was using magic spark with leather gloves on. It singed the gloves."

He sniffed a little closer to the source.

'Can't be a police officer. This is such a small and dark alley. There's no reason for them to use it in this kind of place.'

The presence of magic spark can only mean two things; either rule-breakers or criminals.

The alarm bells in his head went off, prompting him to be on guard. He doesn't take lightly of something like this happening in his neighbourhood, especially so near to his house.

He surveyed his surrounding for other abnormalities and found nothing.

"This better be a one-time occurrence," Zordyz said it under his breath before returning home.

He notified his mother about the smell. To his surprise, she already knew about it.

"Witches are especially sensitive towards magic spells cast around them, offensive-based or not. I felt the magic spark but it was too small to pay any attention to it. The spell didn't go off anyway. Probably just a petty thief." Milya said.

She added. "You said the person was wearing leather gloves? Anyone with common sense would know it's going to burn off the gloves. How foolish."