Tale Of The Half-Blood Wizard

I and Miko went back to the florist when it was almost midnight. After saying good bye to Miko, I took a taxi to the hospital. I saw Emma's bother with his wife were awake on the waiting room seat located in front of the room where Emma's mother was being taken cared.

"Brother, where is Emma?" I asked after handling them meal boxes and drinking water to them.

"She is out, she will be back soon, I guess," He asked me to sit, he might know that I just went home from the shop. Emma's brother was just like my own brother. It could be said much better the relationship I had with him than with my own brother.

That night I waited, perhaps it was more than an hour or two because I was asleep. I decided to go out looking for her when I woke up because I started feeling worried. I sent her messages in her cell phone, but no reply.

I walked out the hospital. My eyes searched around looking for where that woman was. When I passed the parking lot, I saw a woman was bending her knees down. From the way she dressed I knew it was Emma, "Em, what are you doing there?" I called her from where I stood.

"Just feeding this tubby cat," word 'tubby' automatically directed me to Mickey. That was true, that grey fat cat enjoyed chewing food Emma gave to him.

'My ghosh, no wonder his body is round like a fur ball. It is so adorable!' I thought, "Em, let's go in! it is late already," I took her in. The weather was so cold outside.

"Tha," she paused, hesitated, "My mother…she is in critical condition now… tonight and tomorrow is the certainty. She tried to smile, even when her heart was ripped, then she cried. I did not know what to respond, but hugged her and comforted her.

…

At five in the morning, I took a leave. I had to open the shop with Miko at eight. Emma asked me not to push myself too much and I had to take care of myself too. I waved to her and left the hospital.

At the shop, I was already late, Miko had prepared the car for the delivery out of town. And I had to send some orders to some offices of our regular customers of fresh flowers.

The last two days were really tough for us. I shared responsibilities with Miko with the job that was usually handled by Emma. At around three in the afternoon he came back. His condition was really pathetic.

"Tha, please get me some water," he slide down at the door.

I took a big glass of water for him and he directly satisfied his thirst at once. "I saw something strange today," he started talking, "A bit confusing, rather, because it was in a flash, not very clear," I did not really understand what he was talking about, "Some black shadows were flying in groups around here, as if they were looking for something," He explained it in bewilderment. "I swear, I never saw things like that in my life," he was in awe.

Dog's barking starlet us. Kerberos was outside as if he asked me to go out. I walked out to follow Kerberos after asking Miko to rest.

"What is going on? Why are you showing up here?" I needed clarification. At that time I saw something flying low not far from a book store across the street. It floated like thick smoke looking for something, "Fine, I have misunderstood," I admitted to Kerberos.

I asked Kerberos to go in to the shop to hide. Miko seeing me with a dog was shocked, "Tha, whose dog is that? Why are you taking it here?" he wanted to warn me. He knew I was afraid of dog, so it was obvious the dog was not mine.

Miko saw the same shadow. I noticed him keep watching to the direction of the book store across the street, where that creature was watching.

"Miko, what do you see?" I needed assurance from him.

He looked nervous, even his voice was shaking, "Do you see something?" he asked back, "there is a group of smoke there," his finger pointed at where that creature was.

I did not know what to say, I turned to Kerberos. He looked back at me.

I decided not to say anything, leaving Miko making assumption with his own thoughts. I kept watching the shadow.

It was not only one now, some others were coming. They were dark black like smoke of tyres being burnt, floating, and drifting slowly. Dangerous alarm in my body was on, reminding me that something bad would happen.

Quickly I closed the shop, and asked Miko to go in. he was still confused about what was happening, but I would not say anything to him. I asked him to stay inside as long as the shadow was still out there.

I took Mickey that was still sleeping and ran out of the shop through side door. Kerberos ran on my side.

"Hey! Hey! Hey! What is going on?" the tubby got panic because I ruined his sleep.

"My father's men are coming back again," I replied fast.

We walked stealthily like thieves between the shopping buildings and then mingled of the crowd crossing the street. We walked faster trying to camouflage among anything we could used to get away from them. When I felt, we were far enough, I put Mickey down, "It seems that father really want to catch Zie," I still could not understand his thoughts.

I saw Mickey and Kerberos got confused. We could only get away from that place as far as possible, but we did not know for long we had to be fugitives. I felt very useless now. I wished I had Mickey's intelligence and bravery of Kerberos. Too bad, I had none of them.

Suddenly the weather around me dropped. A pull on my shirt made me fall on the ground. When I turned back, a black with sharp long nails came out of that dark fog. The nails were almost ripped my face off. My heart beat faster, I got up, and ran with my knees shaking. I snatched Mickey and I saw Kerberos was running behind me.

At that time navigation in my brain paralyzed, I did not know where my feet took me running. Run. Run. Run. That was the only in my mind.

We went through small alleys which required me to slide my body to the side to go through it. But they kept chasing without mercy and their numbered was added up. 'I dont want to die today' was the only spirit that pushed me run.

"Aarrghhh!,"