Sariel
Uriel, Seraph, and I looked at each other in confusion. What the frag was this? Why was a Kraej military helicopter headed our way? Who were those people? Cosplayers, my foot! These three people, or ELs, or giants, or whatever they were, were definitely not cosplayers.
“What’s going on?” whispered Uriel.
“I think we’re going to find out,” said Seraph. He pointed at the helicopter that was rapidly approaching.
The Seraph double was running his hands all over Asteria, from the top of her head down to her feet. He even took her shoes and socks off to check the soles of her feet.
“Ely, don’t make a fuss. You’re embarrassing me!” said Asteria. She pushed him away or tried to, but she wasn’t able to budge him an inch. “I’m fine. I’m not hurt.”
“Settle down,” said the Uriel double. “Asteria, should we leave?”
“I want to see who’s in the helicopter,” said Asteria. She put her shoes and socks back on.
“All right,” said the so-called Uriel cosplayer.
The four of them walked a little way away from us to talk among themselves while Uriel, Seraph, and I waited silently for the helicopter to land. To my surprise, I saw a bunch of Lifers and Magnus Kraej himself coming down from the helicopter, followed by a tall blonde woman. Kraej, who I knew from countless battles in the frontlines, was dressed in his usual combat fatigues. He had guns strapped to his thighs, and he was limping slightly from the leg injury he suffered last month. I’d never seen the blonde woman before, but everyone knew Kraej had a blonde girlfriend.
Asteria seemed excited to see the woman. “That’s her, that’s who I’m supposed to help.”
Kraej glanced at us, but went straight to Asteria and said, “Good morning, I’m Magnus Kraej.”
“Hi, I’m Asteria.”
The blonde, who looked like she was around twenty-five years old, looked Asteria up and down and said, “You’re a lot smaller than what I expected. And a lot younger.”
“How come you don’t look like me?” asked Asteria in a disappointed tone of voice. “Guys, do you think she looks like me?”
“Not really. Maybe like a cousin or something,” said my doppelgänger.
“Oh well, I guess it doesn’t matter,” said Asteria. “What’s your name?”
“Elsa.”
They were basically ignoring President Kraej, who looked disconcerted at not being the center of attention for once. He cleared his throat loudly and said, “So this is her?”
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“Yes, I can tell from her aura that she’s the one,” said Elsa. She was exactly the type of icy blonde beauty that I would expect the president to favor.
“This little girl? Really? She looks like a child,” said Kraej. His hazel eyes narrowed.
“I’ll prove it to you.” Sighing, Asteria turned her head to give Uriel the once over. “Uriel, how long have the doctors given you?”
Uriel didn’t answer.
“What do you mean?” I asked, uneasily. The doctors? What doctors? Could it be that my friend was sick?
“Don’t worry, I’m here to help,” said Asteria. “Okay?”
The president didn’t speak, but he gave Uriel a look that spoke volumes.
“Uriel, what is she talking about?” asked Seraph.
When Uriel didn’t answer, I asked him, “Are you ill?”
“He’s not ill. He’s dying,” said Asteria.
What the frag?! That’s impossible! Seraph and I turned to Uriel, who was looking down at the ground, avoiding eye contact. I said, “That can’t be true, right?”
“Everything will be fine. Today’s your lucky day because the world’s greatest healer, who just happens to specialize in the Iah virus, is here!” said Asteria.
I see. Not only was she feebleminded, but she was also insane. Trying to keep my tone of voice as soothing and gentle as possible, I said, “Yes, I’m sure you’re a great healer.”
Poor girl! Elsa and the president must be here to take care of her. I’d known from the first moment that I saw her she was a child of a rich family and that she must’ve escaped from her minders.
“Then why don’t you show us what you can do?” said Kraej.
“I will!” said Asteria.
Turning to Uriel, she gestured for him to sit on one of the benches, then she sat down opposite him in a lotus position.
“Sir, isn’t this dangerous?” asked Seraph.
“It’s fine, let her try,” said Kraej.
Seraph and I exchanged uneasy glances, but the president knew what he was doing, right? Uriel just sat there obediently.
“Elsa, watch what I do using your spiritual senses.” Asteria closed her eyes and, after a few seconds, soft golden light flowed from her upturned palms and showered down on Uriel.
That was strange. Heal and cure spells were normally green. I had very grave doubts about all of this. Then again, Asteria seemed to be casting a light spell, and those were normally harmless.
But I was wrong.
Uriel’s eyes widened, and when the golden light died down he shot to his feet and exclaimed, “What did you do?”
Asteria opened her eyes and gave him a smug smile. “How do you feel?”
“I feel amazing!” Uriel started stretching and testing his injured right knee that he’d been complaining about for months. “My body feels so light. It’s like I’m ten years younger.”
Elsa and the president exchanged a meaningful glance.
“Uriel, what is going on? Is it true that you’re dying?” I asked Uriel, but he avoided my gaze and didn’t answer.
“Oh, can I explain everything tomorrow? I’m exhausted because I haven’t slept in two days,” said Asteria.
“I think I’ll have Uriel examined by my doctors first. Why don’t we meet again tomorrow?” said Kraej. He gestured to his staff and ordered them to bring Asteria and her friends to The Mark, the most expensive hotel in Kraej City.
“Sir, the two of us will bring Uriel to the EL hospital,” I said. I needed to get to the bottom of this.
Seraph and I each grabbed one of Uriel’s arms and walked him to the temple gates, but no matter how many questions we asked, Uriel refused to answer, saying that it was classified information.
I just hoped that the president would tell us what was going on soon.
Worry over Uriel distracted me so much that I didn’t realize until after we’d left that I hadn’t seen Asteria use an artifact to heal Uriel.
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