little Jevan stood frozen for a moment, then dashed after Marco, who had already run far ahead. He almost stumbled over a stone lying on the ground but quickly regained his balance and kept running after Marco.

In the end, Marco stopped in front of an old wooden house. Young Jevan approached him, reached out, and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

"We have to go back."

Marco shoved his hand away violently.

"Leave me alone."

"Look, we need to return. Don't mind what those idiots said."

Marco turned toward him, his eyes red and brimming with tears, his cheeks wet, and his lower lip trembling.

"Stay away from me. I'm cursed… I bring suffering to everyone around me."

"Cursed?"

Marco lowered his head, clenching his fists.

"Didn't you see? Since you started hanging around me, trouble has been coming at you from every direction. I bring bad luck to you."

"What are you talking about? Since I started hanging around you, the troubles that come after me have actually lessened."

Marco shook his head in disbelief, but Jevan continued.

"I'm not trying to comfort you. Remember those men who kidnapped me? They came for me, not you. If you hadn't been with me, Valeric wouldn't have saved me. You're the reason I survived, not the reason for my problems."

Marco lifted his gaze to little Jevan.

"Really?"

little Jevan smiled.

"Yes. Since I've been around you, there's been less trouble for me."

little Jevan didn't look like he was lying, which made Marco believe him. He raised his hand and wiped away his tears with his fingers, then exhaled deeply. Meanwhile, Jevan watching the scene beside them in ghost form felt anything but comfortable with the words little Jevan had just said.

little Jevan nodded toward the road back.

"Now we should go back."

He reached out and pulled Marco along. This time Marco didn't resist. A bit of color returned to his face. They arrived at the spot where Vensen and Jax were standing. The two of them avoided meeting Marco's eyes, exchanging quick glances before turning their faces away like children caught doing something shameful.

Older Jevan approached little Jevan and said:

"Stay here until I return."

little Jevan nodded, then sat down on the ground, resting his back against the wall of one of the buildings. Marco sat beside him, staring at the stone pavement. Vensen and Jax remained standing, stiff and silent in their places.

A quarter of an hour passed in awkward silence. Marco would open his mouth sometimes only to close it again, while little Jevan stared into emptiness. Vensen and Jax had their hands shoved into their pockets, kicking at the ground.

Jevan emerged from between one of the buildings and said:

"Follow me."

little Jevan immediately stood up, looked at Marco, and gestured for him to move. Marco stood this time and stepped after little Jevan. Vensen and Jax followed without saying another word.

***

[Jevan Perspective]

I glanced back as I led little Jevan toward the building. None of them spoke. Vensen was trying to appear composed, but unfortunately, I could feel the fear radiating from him, mixed with a touch of guilt. Jax wasn't doing any better his fear was stronger, and his guilt was magnified tenfold. And even then, it wasn't close to a quarter of what he truly felt.

I could feel all of it, all of it coming from them. And honestly, that's what exhausted me. Apparently, even in ghost form, the Authority of Miracles lets me feel the emotions and desires of others. It's far worse than when I'm in the present. At least in the present, I can use the sad mask to dull the symptoms. But here, there's nothing I can do to lessen it.

We kept walking until we finally reached the building. The headquarters of the Street Sons… or let's be honest, more of an orphanage than a gang hideout. Either way, the place wasn't that far. Really, if they'd just turned around and walked back the way they came, they would have been home already.

That woman really ought to teach them things like this. She's literally teaching them everything else, adding a lesson on directions wouldn't be such a bad idea.

But in any case, when we arrived, the scene before us shoved all those thoughts aside. Valeric was fighting? Fighting seriously?

In front of him were two women, their faces hidden under dark cloaks.

One of them pulled out a vial wrapped in dry twigs, the liquid inside a dark green color. She raised it and hurled it at him. I expected him to step back, but he didn't. Instead, he raised his hand, and from his back emerged a shapeless black shadow. Its eyes glowed white, and from its body or what looked like its body stretched several long black arms.

The vial exploded in front of Valeric's face, but the shadow extended swiftly, coiling around him and swallowing the blast.

The second woman lifted a wooden staff entwined with vines, at the end of which was a violet crystal. She raised it above her head and began chanting strange words. The sound that came out was piercing. A violet circle began forming beneath her feet.

Valeric gestured with his hand, and the black entity surged forward, extending its arm and striking her away before she could finish her incantation. As a result, she crashed to the ground, and the violet circle vanished from beneath her.

My mind was telling me this was the perfect time to escape. I should grab little Jevan and get him out of here. And this time, I decided to listen to it immediately. But before I could even open my mouth, Jax chose to scream at the top of his lungs:

"Witches!"

Valeric turned toward us first, followed by the two women.

End of the Chapter 19: in the past (10)

End of the Chapter 19: in the past (10)

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