12 Talk

Standing in the backyard.

Henry stands at the opposite of the door that Harbek is blocking. He has a smirk on his face before waving his hand. A large wave of black fire was launch at Henry.

Henry quickly closed his eyes and his body became intangible but the black flame did minor damage to him as his skin turns red as he grinds his teeth in pain.

"Ohh? Increase resistance? Let me see more," Harbek said. Sending numerous bolts. Henry quickly floats back phasing through the wall. He moves toward Harbek and when he got out. Henry jumps and kicks Harbek at the back.

Reality must be faced. When Henry got out of his intangible form the ground below him became slippery and he slams down on his weight. Henry quickly rolls to the side as bolts continue to be fire toward him with every wave of Harbek's finger.

*Stomp*

The place Henry has rolled in became a pool fills with flammable liquid. Henry stares at Harbek in horror. His hand become black and tried to pull Harbek's robe to interrupt him put his hand just past through his body and it vanishes.

The real Harbek was sitting by the door enjoying the sun with lemon juice.

*Snap!*

"Noo!!!" Henry shouted in distress as a wide cover appears above his head. Henry tried to become intangible but it became useless as he can't walk through the pool or even the cover.

"You see kid? Your form isn't that great. Hahaha... Learn more before you get cocky." Harbek left Henry inside the pool.

"Haaa... Sorry! Let me go out please!" Henry ask but no more answer came.

-----

Only at night did Harbek let Henry out.

"So let me get this straight for you. You will go to the Tower to learn. It will take you about 7-10 years to become a master. By that time, I'm sure you can help me get Queen Cerene. As long as you don't fulfill my wish. You will always have my Soul Curse that when I die. My soul will enter your body and you have to make me another body over and over until you can get me my wish. Then before we leave, you must give that fanatic something in exchange for what you did," Harbek said as Henry looks at him dejected.

"Why do I have to go to a Magic School?" Henry ask.

"Well, first. You enter a compound without searching if someone owned or operates in that place. It's one of the rules of Tower. Don't enter someone else domain and you did! Lucky that you are alive. Second, you let a ghost touch you. Maybe later you'll kiss a nymph and die from her curse. I don't want to list more or you'll die in embarrassment," Harbek replied with his trademark grin.

"That's why you are single..." Henry mumbles under his breath.

"Let's go. I give you this as an apology gift." Harbek tosses him a black coin with a skull carving.

"What's this?" When Henry touches it. He felt a very cold heavy soul.

"Demon soul... He must be a summoner so I think this will be enough for a couple of souls."

Harbek and Henry left the house and get a slow walk toward the church. Being taller now, he can see farther and even his eyes have sharper sight. Teenager girls tend to give Henry a second stare before blushing even if he was wearing his old man's clothes. He gave a protective old brother vibe.

Arriving at the church, Henry runs a sliver of energy to his eyes as he feels a burning stare from the clergy office.

Like it was on instinct, his eyes magnified at the window, and see a figure wearing a hood. Henry bowed down a little. Harbek also looks at the place before running down a scan on the gate sighing before shaking his head.

They enter the church premises and sit on the farthest bench where people tend to isolate.

"Do I need to kill you?" A hoarse voice came from behind them as the hooded man appears.

"Greetings, I'm deeply sorry for what my contractor did in the pass few days. We were in big trouble at that time and I didn't manage to give him a proper introduction on our rules," Harbek replied as Henry stand there alone and silent.

"Hm... A gnome? You lots sure are lazy." The hooded man let down the covering on his face. Then Henry stares in shock. In front of him is the man that reminded him to leave during his first day of the search.

"I'm sorry for what I did. As an apology," Henry said pushing the black demon soul seal.

"Please take it," he added.

"Hoo! So generous. I'll take this as payment." The man started to leave.

"Wait! Can I ask you something?" Henry stops him from leaving.

"What is it?" He asks.

"I just want to know why did you curse this church?" Henry bluntly ask. He still doesn't know anything and this was the right time to see the other side.

"Hoo! Hahaha! I didn't curse this church. This church is my home. I leave here for my whole life. During childhood, I see people going here for prayers and wishes. Now, this place became a place where people show-off everything in their life. I became this church's protector when the previous one died. Then did I start to create what I envision from a sacred place. This is a place where those burdened by hard life have a long peaceful rest for sometime before departing. I then created a ward that will make everyone that enters here show their inner-self. I stripe them of their Veils as Black Wizard as your contractor says," he then started to leave again flipping the coin.

Henry dejectedly nods and left the place.

"There are no good and bad but only harmful ones that must be avoided at all cost," Harbek said beckoning Henry to follow back.