Bianca sat with the manager of the House of Lux, Luke and Payton around a coffee table; stomach and head bandaged, cradling a cup of coffee.
Although most of them were healed by Mages, rest was still a necessary part of the process.
"Familiars, a whole squad of them, armed to the teeth..."
Payton held up a drawing sketches of each of the beasts as did the Manager.
She suddenly slammed the cup on the table causing Luke to jolt.
"Even their uniforms were filled to the brim with symbols to sustain their power even when they're away from their Tulpamancer... And even ones to burn their uniforms the moment they died, vanishing as if they were never there, the perfect crime..."
Luke gulped before speaking up. "W-Well due to the Elder Sign connection we managed to find out exactly what Daimons they were."
Payton quickly handed him a modern bestiary.
Luke flipped through the pages until he landed on a page with a detailed drawing of the Goat beasts that attacked them.
Satyric, brown fur, yellow eyes and wide mouth.
"The Men of Leng..."
He flipped to the next page, revealing squat, pale toad like monsters with pink tentacles for snouts, not unlike the second type of beast that had attacked them, even if the ones pictured were Quadrupedic.
"Moon Beasts..."
"Moon Beasts and Men of Leng... Do they have any connection?" Bianca questioned, she wasn't as well versed in Spirits and Daimons as Luke was.
"Well... They're both found in moon of the Dreamlands, The most shallow layer of The Astral Plane. The 'Dark Side' of our physical moon is a metaphor for it. But this is strange."
Luke rubbed his chin.
"There have never been any records of Moon Beasts and Men of Leng being used as Familiars, even reaching The Moon from the Earth in the Dreamlands is a fool's errand!"
Bianca scratched her head
"This is why I don't bother with Noetic Thaumatology..."
" 'Don't think of the world as it is! Think of what it's a metaphor for!' " She said in a mocking voice.
"Of course, I wonder what children dying of leukemia, while we SIT ON OUR ASSES." She breathed out, calming down. "Is a metaphor for..."
"Is she usually like this?" Luke whispered to Payton.
"Not usually, but you'll have to pardon her, she's under a bit of stress at the moment."
"WHAT ARE YOU ASSHOLES KEEPING FROM ME!?"
"..."
"A lot of stress at the moment."
"Er." Luke gulped. "What about the Chosen Ones? Are they doing okay?"
Bianca sighed, sitting back down, rubbing her forehead.
"I gave them a day off in the city."
"O-Oh..." Luke stuttered. "Right after... That, is this a good idea."
Bianca sighed, her dark eyes locking onto Luke's brown orbs.
"Luke, Chosen Ones or not, they're still kids... And what happened, it's more reason for them to be able to relax, they deserve it. Besides, I've made sure there's ample protection for them, agents all around, following every move."
"Some bonding that's not life or death might do them good I suppose." Luke answered back.
"And besides..." Bianca streched he arms. "We have more important matters to discuss..."
"The encounter with Sandalphon, the Archangel of Kingdom, I presume Ma'am?" Payton asked.
Bianca nodded.
...
Andrew leaned against the café wall, hands stuffed in the pockets of his loose red hoodie, black t-shirt peeking out underneath. His jeans looked like they'd been set on fire—half because they probably had, half because he never replaced them. He was muttering under his breath, eyes flicking to nothing in particular.
Juno waved as she approached Andrew from across the street, a touch out of breath. She wore a flowing white blouse tucked into a navy-blue skirt that brushed her knees, brown leather boots scuffed from long walks. Her golden hair glowed in the sunlight.
... And behind her she dragged along Franz like a lost puppy, refusing to go for a walk, tugging at his signature brown scarf nervously.
Despite Franz's hesitance, his white shirt was buttoned too neatly, tucked into grey trousers, shoes polished until they gleamed. He looked like he was preparing for a job interview, not a day off.
"About time you two got here." Andrew sighed.
"Sorry, the train was quite... Crowded." Juno apologized
Andrew dismissed her apology.
"Don't worry about it, I always have a friend inside me..."
I'm not your friend, I am you, if you are insinuating that you are your own friend, that is pathet-
"As I was saying, we should head inside..." Andrew said, pointing inside the Cafe.
...
"Wow... These are a lot of options! I usually just get porridge and some times apple pie if I'm lucky!" Juno giggled as the waiter, stood near their table, waiting to take their orders.
"Don't worry about it, and what'll you be having dove boy?" Andrew looked at Franz.
"O-Oh I'm not hungry, it's alright, you guys can eat though! I'm fine." He assured, giving half an attempt at a smile that was far too shy to be full.
"..." Andrew looked at his two companions with slight exacerbation.
"A coffee and blt for me, a croissant and strawberry pastry for the girl and a meat sauce spaghetti for scarf boy." Andrew said with precise concentration.
As the waiter left they both looked at Andrew, with a slightly confused if content look.
"What?" Andrew asked with feigned annoyance.
His eyes darted to Juno.
"You said you got apple pie when you were 'lucky' so I figured you liked your sweets."
His eyes darted to Franz.
"And you said you liked noodles, and spaghetti was the closest thing they had here to that so...."
"Ugh." He cut himself off. "Nevermind, it was a random guess, forget about it."
Juno smiled at him, Franz avoided eye contact, slightly red.
"Oh, what about the blt then~" She asked in a playful voice.
"..."
"I like sandwiches... I guess."
Juno giggled, looping an arm around Franz.
"Ah, just the three of us, The Chosen Ones set to save the world."
"Well... Wouldn't just say us." Andrew pointed at a person next to them, dressed far too neatly for it to be casual, and reading a newspaper article a bit too intently.
"Still being babysat, although it's better than getting jumped by goatmen and slug monstrosities..."
"Do you um... Think they can hear us?" Franz asked, shy about his conversation being heard.
"Oh definitely." Andrew answered bluntly. "Hey Hermetic man, expecting something spicy about our love lives or something? Because even the voice in my head hates me! This girl's only conversation with another guy is the Savior Sabaoth and Dove boy would implode if a girl accidentally touched his left shoulder."
The Hermetic agent quickly covered his whole face using the newspaper, pretending not to hear anything (even though he clearly did.)
Juno spoke with mock offense "I'll have you know Sabaoth is a great conversational partner and friend!"
"I guess I drew the short end of the stick when it comes to Divine powers I can talk to." Andrew chuckled.
"Oh right." Juno suddenly stood up, causing Franz to shift slightly.
"You kept talking about this voice in your head and now about talking to divine powers, what's that about?"
"Oh that, well there's this voice in my head, he says that he's a part of me and guides me to do stuff and-"
He noticed Franz's and Juno's slightly concerned look.
"Okay okay I know what it sounds like... BUT, he's also very helpful, alerting me on how to kill-"
Their expressions darkened more in concern.
"MONSTERS, Monsters..."
"..."
"Did I mention it's my Relic?"
"Ohhhh" Juno and Franz let out a collective sound of understanding.
"Wait... You guys...?"
"Of course we know about your Relic, it was one of the first things debriefed to us! We just didn't know that you well... Talked to it." Juno rubbed her neck sheepishly.
"Of course..."
It was just then that their food arrived.
...
Later they stroll past shopfronts in a market, neon lights flashing SALE signs. Juno starstruck by every little thing she sees, as it is quite a contrast to her simple country life.
Franz tags along, falling a little behind.
He notices a stall selling miniature Sabaoth noose necklaces, and calls out to the duo who've gone a bit ahead.
"H-Hey I think I found something... C-cool."
His voice however was too soft to reach them.
And so he steeled himself for one of the toughest aspects of life; interaction with a stranger.
"Um sir, how much for the silver Sabaoth necklace?"
...
He carried the bought necklace over to the duo, Juno still starstruck over the concept of a market this large, while Andrew was mostly munching on some jerky he bought.
Now came for THE most tough aspect of Franz's life; offering someone a gift.
"S-So I..." He began, already blushing slightly. "I saw this really cool thing that I thought you might like, but you were pretty far away and I tried calling out, but I didn't wanna scream or annoy the other people so-"
"Franz!" Juno put a hand on his shoulder, giggling. "Just tell me what's up, we'll untangle whatever's in your brain later."
Her easygoing disposition calmed down some of Franz's frayed nerves.
He took a deep breath.
"Um I bought this." He held up the silver noose necklace, avoiding eye contact "I-I thought you might like it, a-as a souvenir from the city..."
"Oh my..." Juno took the necklace, immediately putting it around her neck, twirling around to get a feel of it.
"Is it alright-" Franz began only to be cut off by a bear hug from Juno.
"It's great Franz! Thanks for buying it for me!" Juno exclaimed happily.
"A-anytime..." Said a beet red Franz.
"Heh." Andrew playfully snorted. "Dove boy and Magni girl, not the worst couple concept."
Franz immediately became defensive at the playful jab.
"I-I just thought it was cool! I didn't mean anyth-"
Juno softly patted Franz on the arm, stopping him from rambling again.
"Andrew, tease him again and Sabaoth forgive me for the things I'll do to your ego!" It was entirely a faux threat, delivered with the tone of one.
"By the gospels I apologise priestess." Andrew gave a bow causing Juno to giggle.
As they crossed the market, Franz noticed an arcade on the other side of the, his eyes lighting up at the memories of him playing shoot-em-ups.
In his excitement however he somehow manages to forget the word arcade.
"W-we should go over there!" He exclaimed.
"Go where?" Andrew asked.
"Oh y-you know..." Franz mimed the shape of a box attempting to show them and arcade cabinet. However he unknowingly conjures an invisible square psynotic which he drops to the side walk.
Andrew turns around noticing the Arcade.
"OH, the Arcade, sure why not, I could kick both your asses!"
As they go to move towards the Arcade on the other side of the road, Franz trips on the invisible psynotic box he dropped to the street, falling face first onto the pavement.
"Ow..." He whimpered.
"..."
"Man created and tripped on the world's first invisible curb, truly monumental." Andrew chuckled.
Juno on the other hand was helping Franz up.
Before Franz could even begin to stammer out an apology Juno reassured him.
"Honestly? That's impressive. Controlling something you can't even see? That takes focus and skill!"
She patted his back
"Let's go to the Arcade guys, our time ''''alone'''' is numbered anyways." Andrew hurried them. "Just you wait to see my skill."
...
"Goddamit! This thing is rigged by The New Iteration! Their conspiring against me!"
Andrew slammed a claw machine, throwing a hissy fit after losing for the 5th time in a row.
Juno giggled, even Franz couldn't help stifle a smile at the absolute failure of an attempt Andrew had.
"Here let me try..." Juno said, taking Andrew's place.
To the other two's surprise, Juno manages to get a small bird plushie her second chance, holding it up with pride.
"Maybe the trick is just believing, eh?" She teased Andrew.
Andrew, slightly annoyed, pointed at Franz.
"You see this here!? This is Magna Salus favouritism! Only Sabaoth's nepo babies gets miracles like this!"
"I don't think even a miracle would make up for your lack of skill." Franz replied bluntly.
"..."
Andrew looked at Juno with a slightly shocked expression.
"Did I just get roasted by Dove boy...?"
They all laughed at the absurd scenario of Franz unintentionally roasting someone.
...
The evening sun was quarter dipped into the horizon, grey clouds filling the sky, some streaked with brilliant oranges from the sun.
The three sat on a park bench, eating kebabs they bought from a nearby vendor, looking at obvious Hermetic agents attempting to feed ducks in a pond (even though one was clearly afraid of them.)
"Not private but... Can't say I don't feel protected." Andrew shrugged.
Juno took a bite out of her kebab, on a skewer along with smoked vegetables.
"Mmph! This stuffs good!"
Franz nodded, nibbling on his own piece of roasted chicken.
"Ah shit! Hot!" Andrew winced, accidentally having burnt his tongue on the hot kebab.
"I thought you were supposed to be immune to fire?" Juno asked curiously.
"I'm immune to fire, not hot food!"
He sighed.
"It wouldn't kill me..." He smirked, his tone dipping into faux-casual darkness.
"Shame, would've saved everyone the trouble."
The 'joke' fell flat, Franz stopping mid bite at the strangely raw tone in Andrew's voice.
Juno however, simply looked him, in his dark eyes, her's filled with a calm warmth. She spoke simply, not prying, just calm.
"... You'd be missed. More than you'd think."
"..."
Andrew blinked in confusion
Goddamn...
Why did that hit so hard...?
Before he could givesome clever retort,Franz of all people suddenly spoke up, fidgeting with his scarf.
"I… never really had friends before. Not like this. It feels… different. But good. S-So... I'd miss you too if you were gone... A lot..."
His tone, if shy, was sincere.
Andrew leaned back, sighing before a smile split his mouth.
"Guess we're trauma-bonded. Premium friendship package. …Still, glad it's with you two."
Juno smiled, determined, grabbing the noose necklace Franz bought her.
"Then let's promise to watch each other's backs. Not just in battle. In everything."
Andrew gives a mock salute
"Ma'am yes, Ma'am! Official pact sealed. No take-backs. Scarf Boy, you're in too, no weaseling out of this one!"
Franz let out a genuine giggle.
"Wouldn't dream of it!" He exclaimed excitedly
...
Later as they make their way back to the house of Lux, Andrew finally addresses Mahat.
You've been rather quiet today Mahat, something wrong?
Today, you did not need me separately, I could experience your phenomena as one with you. I hope for many such days to come.
...
Whatever you say dude.
As they made their way back Andrew did mock voices of New Iteration agents to entertain his new friends.
"And then we'll hide our Symbol on the dollar sign if you fold it twice, light it on fire and stab out one of your eyes! That way we'll cultivate only the highest of intelligences!"
They were safe, they were happy and they were together. What more could they ask for?
...
"Preposterous! You can't be suggesting...!"
Luke was manic at what Bianca said.
"I meant exactly what I said. Those bastards... Whatever organisation they're from, somehow knew about Mages being in some countryside Adytum, and they sent some of their deadliest... This along with the previously disappearing Mages... There's only one way they could've gotten this information."
"This is absurd..." Luke said in a mix of fear and disbelief.
"..."
"We might have a mole in the Hermetic Order."