Zephyr and Ki waited in Zephyr's room patiently. Ki lay on the bed while Zephyr sat next to the table, tapping his finger. The room was silent and awkward, but their main goal was to hear Septh's words. A knock came from the door. Zephyr stood up and opened it. Ki didn't move an inch. Septh stood there holding two books, "The Lore of Summons" and "The Cycle of Devil." Septh rushed inside, gently pushing Zephyr. She peeked outside to check if anyone was following before closing the door. She dropped the books on the table and sat down, placing her face in her palms to relieve her stress.
"We have to leave this place as soon as possible," Septh's voice trembled.
"Why? You've been acting weird recently. I rarely see you, and you won't even greet back if we greet you," Zephyr spoke with concern. "Is there something that's bothering you?"
Septh looked into Zephyr's eyes, her eye bags bulging and dark spots around her eyes. Her eyes were pleading. "You don't understand," Septh's voice rose. Realizing it, she started to whisper. "I don't know how to explain it!"
"Everyone is acting weird," Ki spoke for the first time. He opened his eyes and glanced at the ceiling. "I have a bad feeling about it."
"What do you mean?" Zephyr was confused.
Ki stood up and leapt to the balcony. Zephyr rushed to see him. They were on the second floor. How could he just jump off like that? But to Zephyr's surprise, Ki walked and disappeared into the dark like nothing had happened, showcasing his training. Zephyr watched him walk away.
---
Ki was walking in the dark, approaching the church. He noticed a light coming from it. He jumped over the tall fence and quickly hid in the bushes, moving slowly toward the light. He could hear people talking inside but couldn't make out the words. He glanced up and saw an open window. He climbed in, entering the church successfully. He jumped down from the window, landing softly. He froze as he saw guards approaching. Glancing around, he looked for somewhere to hide. The soldiers walked down the hallway, talking with each other. Ki emerged from the shadow created by the curtain, his black hoodie blending well. He saw a door tightly guarded, a perfect place for a meeting. Ki saw an opportunity when a priest holding a bible approached the door. The guards opened it, unaware of Ki hiding in the shadows. He successfully sneaked in, finding a crack in the ceiling and hiding there.
"This is madness. We have to act now before it's too late," the priest shouted.
Ki peeked through the hole. He saw the king sitting across a long table, his face dark and serious.
One of the cloaked men answered calmly, "Moving hastily will only make us vulnerable. We need to assess the situation first."
"What is there to assess? Another war is approaching, and you're just sitting here doing nothing!" the priest lost his temper.
A man in a black suit spoke, "I agree with him. Isn't it time to use them?"
This statement made Ki think. "Them? Who's them?"
The cloaked man who had spoken before defended himself again, "No, we need to train them further first."
Ki started to realize that "them" meant him, Septh, and Zephyr.
"Why waste time enhancing them? Giving them time only increases the chance of revolt. Let's use the method our fathers used before us. We can erase their memories and put them through vigorous training. This will speed things up tenfold," the priest defended his point, standing now.
Ki was shocked by the priest's words, clenching his teeth in anger. He memorized the priest's face. "You dare think of touching my friends," Ki thought, angered. He was about to leap from the crack in the ceiling when a hand grabbed his shoulder. Surprised, Ki glanced at the source. A stranger wearing a mask that covered half his face and a hooded cloak put a finger to his lips, shushing Ki. Ki settled down and went back to listening. The king raised his hand and the others sat properly, waiting for the king's words.
"Yes, it's true that those three are talented. Ki is observant and agile; he can be used for gathering intel. Zephyr has leadership skills and a charisma that draws others to him. Septh is a genius whose skills can be used for strategies. But for now, let's not touch them. It's been ten years since the last summon existed, and we don't know when they will exist again. Breaking them down would cause us more harm than good."
After a while, The meeting ended. "Follow me," the stranger commanded Ki. The voice was familiar. Ki followed but remained alert. They moved through dark, tight spaces until they got out of the church. The stranger walked down a dark street with Ki following, suspicious. Ki stopped. "Who are you?" he demanded.
The man also stopped and faced Ki. The man removed his mask and hood, revealing Kenji's face. "Just shut up and follow me!"