Chapter 13: Waterfall

Eimi Swirls averted her gaze from the guests and reluctantly led them inside. Dingy corners of Eimi Swirls eyes hinted the sleepless night. The barely alive eyes looking down froze, when two boxes were put on the table. Yes, these were the talisman holders that brought misery to her family.

Hope was materializing in Eimi Swirls eyes when she looked up with great strength. Klavior was sitting in front of her with Khufu Azami standing towards the side. Eimi wiped her eyes with the back of her left hand as she reached out to pick one of the boxes with another.

"This was made by my father. Where is my father?", she said.

"Yesterday, my subordinate, Deus Garcia arrested Trace's master after seeing the business register you showed him. Was the list on it genuine?", Klavior asked.

"Yes where is my father?"

Eimi said in an anxious tone. An awful feeling was brewing in her stomach. If the talisman holder made by her father were retrieved, then there must be a clue about her father. If the fortune teller who used Trace was caught, then her father would be safe!

"Where do you think we found these?"

"Trace's master… he kidnapped my father".

"Do you know that Trace's master is not a Sorcerer". Klavior said.

Eimi Swirls could not believe what she just heard. Not a Sorcerer? She had only met Trace's master twice. The first time at her shop when the talismans were bought. Second time, when he visited the fortune teller shop to ask for Trace's help. It was true that she had not seen the hands of Trace's master but but…

"He bought the talismans. How could he not be a Sorcerer?"

"I am a law enforcement officer working directly under the Federation. I also want to rescue your father and capture the people that kidnapped him. Do you understand?", Klavior said.

More than half of the words went over Eimi's head, but she understood the intention of Klavior to save her father. She nodded gripping the talisman holder tightly in her hand. Hands that seemed to be made of paper were pressed on the box, forcefully suppressing the shivering.

"These were purchased by the fortune teller for his apprentice. And all this time they were in possession of Trace", Klavior continued.

"No…" Eimi looked down at her hands.

"Last night he left your house to save his master who was wrongly accused. Just because of how inexperienced he is. If not for his master's guidance and his own bravely, he would have been gravely injured yesterday. At worse, dead", Klavior explained pausing many times in between.

Eimi was focusing her strength on her hands to stop them from shivering. She saw the first drop of tear fall on her hand. The tear drop slid down her hand. She tried to think of something else, but Klavior continued and she couldn't help but listen.

"Your father's coat was tampered, so you would give up the third register", Klavior said.

It was as if a thunderclap resounded in her ears. How could this happen, if the coat was fake then wasn't it all my fault? Despite being a Level 2 Sorcerer, a chocking feeling erupted from her stomach and extended up towards her throat. She suddenly got up and turned to leave.

"Trace is waiting outside", Klavior said.

Klavior saw Eimi stop outside the door, in the hallway. How did It turn out like this, he secretly sighed in his heart. When Eimi did not move, a thought flashed in his mind. Klavior signaled Khufu with a jerk of head.

Khufu almost was going to signal something back, but his body automatically stopped. How could he not follow the order of a Level 3 Sorcerer. Grumpy, but inside his mind. Khufu did not dare to show it on his face and walked out silently without saying a word. For a moment he looked back but did not dare to stop following Klavior.

Outside the gate Trace was nervously waiting beside his master. Suddenly, the gate opened revealing the figures of Klavior and Khufu. Trace saw Khufu shaking his head with an apologetic face whereas Klavior signaled him something. However, Trace did not understand its meaning.

A hand fell on Trace's shoulder, he looked back to see it was his master giving a slight push. Trace shook his head, indicating he did not wanted to see Eimi anymore. But another hand fell on his shoulder. This time it was Klavior, who pulled Trace inside the gate.

"Go, she is waiting for you", Klavior said.

"Don't worry about me being framed, how can I even be harmed by such childish pranks", Master also encouraged.

Trace looked towards the household. The familiar stone path which he rarely walked on, the plants on the side, he couldn't clear see during night, and the veranda he sat on were bathing in solitary morning rays of the sun. Trace walked over the path but instead of taking it, he went to the empty room with only a stone slab.

This room had been his home at nights for almost a month now. A wave of heaviness passed down to his abdomen from his upper body. All this while, he had tried hard to not think of the girl who slept holding her knees beside him only two days ago. The deep creases on the side of her eyes, the feeble face, and the body that would collapse any second.

...

When they first met, it couldn't be even called a meeting. Trace only had one look at the girl sitting behind the counter with her parents. Their second meeting, in marketplace where Trace gave her multiple looks trying to determine where he had seen that face.

"Why are you staring at me", the girl walked up.

"Weren't you looking at me too?", Trace recalled that meeting.

"You think you can stare any girl you want just because you are a Level 2 Sorcerer? I don't believe it, let me prove you are wearing fake rings!", the girl suddenly jumped on him.

Trace was subdued by the stronger Level 2 Sorcerer girl in the middle of the market. The pride of reaching Level 2 at the age of 18 backed with the lack of social experience. No one existed in her eyes except the fake Level 2 boy. But her burrows furrowed when the rings on Trace's fingers did not come out.

"Hey, what are you doing?!" a patrolman ran over.

Passers-by gathered to see the commotion. She flustered as she got up, voices of people questioning the rings on her hands filled her head. The piercing gazes of the surrounding people were different than what the boy gave her.

"I know her from somewhere", Trace told the policeman.

She saw Trace bow slightly to the policeman and run away escaping from the crowd after giving the girl questioning look. Unsure of what to do, she followed suit. But her actions were not as smooth as Trace who slipped through the crowd. Instead, she pushed away a few people and chased Trace. The patrolman unable to pass through the crowd.

"Wait, you don't remember me?" she caught up to Trace easily.

"No?" Trace gave her a wary look.

She showed displeasure about the look on Trace's face by squinting her eyes. The beautiful crimson jewels trying to determine the truth with one gaze. Her long dress fluttered with the wind as she pointed towards Trace with great confidence.

"You are weaker than me but still refuse to acknowledge my existence. I am Eiri Swirls, from the best talisman family in the country".

"I remember now, no wonder you seemed so familiar", Trace said, still afraid.

Trace wanted to leave but the girl didn't let him! She went on and on about her achievements leaving Trace baffled. On top of it, she made Trace apologize multiple times. That event ensured that Trace won't be forgetting her anytime soon.

...

Trace jumped down from the wooden veranda and walked toward the stoned pathway. Just as he opened the door, he saw a figure of a woman with her back towards him. His heart ached to see this figure just after remembering the second meeting.

The same frail figure visited the fortune teller shop one evening. It had been an extremely bright day and Trace was reading a book by the window when his master called out to him. He entered the shop and vaguely saw a familiar face.

As his eyes adjusted, he thought he was seeing a lone ghost for a moment. The girl's face marked deep emotional lines. Could Trace help her to guard the house? She asked, unsure if it was the right thing to do. But Trace immediately accepted after looking at his master.

The girl's face gained some color. Trace immediately followed her thoughtlessly. They walked the 5 kilometers, and Trace's gaze were fixed on the back of the figure walking in front of him. He even extended his hand many times to catch the seemingly falling figure but his hand never touched anything.

A similar figure was standing in front of his right now. Trace could imagine the impressions on Eimi's face. A sting of pain entered his chest. He felt powerless, all this time he felt that he had not support the figure even a bit. After much difficulty he called out to her.

"Miss Swirls, I am sorry for leaving you last night. Are you alright?"

Eimi couldn't hold back her tears anymore. A sense of weakness erupted from deep within her body and the next moment she was on her knees sobbing uncontrollably. Before long, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

Even though the hand felt cold, it spread warmth throughout her entire body. She extended her hand to hold Trace's hand. Soon enough the hand on her shoulder turned warm and the sounds of sobbing lessened.

Trace sat down when Eimi held his hand. A closed his eyes and exhaled a deep breath. But before he could react Eimi's figure fell on him. He felt the loud beating of her heart. Even after Eimi's breathing lessened her heartbeat did not. And soon enough Trace's heart was beating just as loud.