Goodbyes

"So, what do they do?"

Nolamine asked, eager to know the truth behind his strength.

"I do not know. I am sure at this point you know more than I do. All I know is that no lie would get past your mother and that she could see through all and every type of curse she came across."

Nolamine was disappointed.

"To find out, we will have to go back to the village and ask the Guardian of the village."

"Who?

"The Mythical Creature that lives in the pool of the waterfall. You should remember going to it. They said only your mother knew its true form as they talked a lot."

"So why do we have to go there?"

"First, it knows everything about your eyes, including your father's, because it is the Guardian of the House of Guzzler. That is what she told me and that is how your mother came to this world. It is one that is unknown to be linked with the name of your family or anyone in this world or the others and one that guards the secret door to the other worlds."

Nolamine was visibly impressed.

"It has your mother and father's belongings that they left for you if anything happened to them. And, well, something happened once when your mother had disappeared into the deep dark waters to see it. It rained for a month nonstop and stopped when she came out."

"What?"

"Yep, all the answers you seek and to all the mysteries you can think about are there. So, we are leaving the day after tomorrow. Say your goodbyes and pack your bags."

"So soon?"

"The more we wait, the more likely it is that someone will come to try to kill you. Now that the old hag has initiated a fight with the lord of this land, she can't come or send anyone under her here as they would bear her mark, but that does not mean she can't ask or contract someone else to do the job for her."

Nolamine nodded, it was getting late and he was hungry again, but he had two last things he wanted to talk about.

"You know Mi-sun, talking about mysteries, how come you work in a job that tasks you physically but you dress like a businesswoman?"

Mi-sun sighed.

"Hey, mind your own business!"

"Still looking for a husband? Why not take one of the guys in your profession?

"They are all imbeciles. And I said, mind your own business!"

She went to the kitchen to fix some food, not wanting to talk about it.

"Ok, ok, one last thing, it is about Son-join."

He said and she stopped.

"You want to take him with you?"

"After learning about the other world and knowing what he is now capable of, I think leaving him would be cruel as he just discovered magic exists. He would go insane."

"Ok."

"Huh?"

"I said ok, but we can take him with us next time when the smoke clears as he can't protect himself right now. At least you have your eyes and strength. I will make a plan and come up with something to tell his mother. The organization will take care of the rest, but it will have to be next year for it to work."

Nolamine was happy.

The next day, he went to see him and tell him about where he was going. Son-join was disappointed that he could not go with him at that time but was happy to find out that he would join him the next year.

It was the start of the year and having to wait for a whole year was going to eat at him. They talked about what Africa would be like, them thinking it was hot as hell and seeing lions rooming around. Nolamine's memories of playing with beasts did not help with their portrayal of the country.

"So, you are going to steal a girl's heart and then disappear?"

"Hey, this is all your fault. This wouldn't have happened if you had not involved me in all that."

"But, you still had fun. Too bad it's a Sunday, you can't at least say goodbye to the girls and the other classmates."

They talked for some time until it was nightfall and he had to go back home. He did not know how to feel, as it would be the first time he would not see Son-join for a long time since meeting him. They got up early the next day, wanting to catch an early flight.

They got on the bus as he left Icheon not knowing when he would get back.

"So, I had you talking about my mother using a wand to write down a spell and a saw a broken wand used by the old woman. Do you know how it works?"

"No, even though I was your mother's disciple. I do not know how they work or how they use them. All I was taught was how to weave spells, and borrow mana from that world."

"And your organization does not know about them?"

"They do to some extent, but few individuals know. We are in the business of protecting information after all."

"And what is it called?"

"It has no name, that is why I call it 'the organization'. I can not tell you more than that."

She said. It was clear this mysterious organization worked in the shadows. The bus ride was not that long and they made it to Seoul. It was still morning but the city was already buzzing.

As Nolamine exited the bus, he was thinking of Si-woo, that he could have at least called her and said goodbye to her after spending such a time with her the other day.

At school, Son-join got to class early. He had not slept. He was thinking about magic and the fact that he would not see his friend for some time.

It was noticeable that Nolamine was not there as they would always be together. The girls asked about him and all Son-join could tell them was that he had gone to South Africa for personal reasons. Some were intrigued and some could not believe it.

Si-woo was especially distorted. She had spent the whole Sunday thinking about him and all of a sudden he was gone. She did not know how to feel about it and Ara noticed it.

"Nolamine, we are being followed."

Mi-sun said after getting off the station. Nolamine stopped his train of thought and put his guard up. He looked around but there were too many people around. He could not tell who she was talking about.

"It is an Apprentice with two familiars. He is not that far behind us. It seems he is after us for some reason. I can feel him breathing down my neck."

She said as she grabbed him by his hand and started to walk fast.

"There is a parking lot up ahead. We have to stand our ground and fight before we board our flight or they will know where we are going. He might be sent by that woman."

She said. Nolamine had stepped into her world right from the get-go.

'Fuck! not a parking lot again.'

He thought as they ran while thinking about the last time he was in one.