The Astral soul system

Chapter 245: Toffee

"So... wait, what was Jade doing up there?"

Sable asked, looking up at the mountain

"It’s a long story"

Zaria replied

"Well this is a long climb"

Zaria looked up and bit her lip

"Hey, should I just..."

She pointed to Sable and at herself then up

"I can make it up myself...I think"

"You think?"

Sable sighed

"I guess I’m a bit hungry, and the sun isn’t helping my case...so annoying"

She muttered the last part before sniffing the air

"She was definitely here"

’Her scent is almost gone though,it doesn’t seem like she was bleeding,lucky. Now if only I could trace her with that line like i did with Zaine

She tilted her head and looked at the ground, noticing some cracks, following them to two deep depressions in the ground in the shape of...

"Huh,look. Little feet"

"That’s our girl. But there’s nothing else, almost like she floated up and out of here"

Sable chuckled

"Maybe not, but her portals maybe?"

Zaria shook her head

"Her ability is unfortunately a pretty rare and difficult one and though she’s been practicing and getting better, she still couldn’t fit through one, besides,no ability is as stubborn as she is when it comes to something she’s set her mind on"

"Hmmm?"

Zaria sighed

"Apparently she’s "Gotten tired of everyone looking out for her all the time" I offered to use some of my channels to help her get an upgrade but..."

"Pfft-hehe. She’s adorable,I can already imagine it"

Zaria smirked

"It was. I’m pretty sure this is what she means though... The truth is...we do baby her a lot"

"Huh? What’s wrong with that?"

"Do you have older siblings?"

"..."

"Then you should understand"

Sable looked up to the mountains summit and suddenly raised a brow

"Wait, how high is this cave again?"

Zaria looked up as well

"High enough"

Zaria answered, understanding what she meant

"Something... might be going on with her"

Sable sighed

"I knew it I knew it. I knew something was up with her"

"..."

"Ever since she came back I’ve been having this tummy ache . How was she? The last time you saw her"

"She was... normal"

The look on Sable’s face said she wasn’t buying it

"-ish, okay? Normal-ish"

"Is it a Zen thing?"

"Zen thing? What’s a Zen thing?"

"You know what I mean. Weird stuff happens in this place and it’s more often than not related to him"

Zaria sighed. That was unfortunately true

"Is it..."

Sable quickly looked over her shoulder and pointed to the back of her wrist

"Hell no! "

Zaria immediately shot down that possibility once she realized what she was implying. Just because she was comfortable with Zen and the other two didn’t mean that mark was any less repulsive than always

"Good, but it is a Zen thing, right?"

Zaria sighed and nodded

"I don’t like the idea of turning his name into a...thing"

"Too late. Now anything else you want to point out?"

"She might be a bit out of control"

"Well that’s nothing new, just smack her back into her senses if necessary "

She said, looking back up and down at the four inch deep footprints.

"Damn."

She muttered

"I’m surprised she didn’t make a crater. So should we still look up there?"

"Let’s look around for a bit. If there are no clues to sniff out here then it’s our only option"

Sable sighed

"Hopefully it doesn’t take too long. How far could she have walked anyway?"

*****************

*Bam*

Zen dropped the material onto a desk

"This is all you missed. We’re done here"

"I’m pretty sure you’re meant to tutor me though. What you don’t have any notes?"

Zen didn’t answer. He technically did but couldn’t give them to her even if he wanted to.

The library in his soul realm’s castle was filled with books, books which were physical manifestations of his acquired knowledge... some of them anyway. Others were for his souls, the system and maybe he’d even find something about Zephyr if he looked. So technically yes he did have notes. Was he going to give them to her though? Obviously not.

"Sigh(Yes, she actually said sigh) I suppose these will have to do, since you’re still all locked up"

"Then we’re done"

"Ah-ah-ah. Not so fast. Remember? You have to take me out"

"The dungeon-"

His watch suddenly beeped and looking at it,it was a message from Sable

«You better have an explanation for what’s going on with Jade»

"She’s involved"

He mused

"We’ll do that tomorrow"

He said turning to leave when she suddenly grabbed his hand

"Uh uh. You’ve already made an engagement"

"I don’t have time-"

"Then make time. I’ve got you all to myself today, besides, it’s rude to just leave. Maybe I should go tell the principal you’re trying to ditch me"

"..."

Zen didn’t react. Tim already wasn’t a huge fan of him. That’s why he didn’t bother trying to do this job well in the first place.

Seeing he wasn’t impressed she shrugged

"Oh well,I guess I’ll just have to come with you then"

"No"

Zen said plainly. He couldn’t have her get any more involved. Zyro had described his vision to the others as detailed as he could get it and it already had them on edge.

There was a mural and everything in the castle.

He couldn’t help but wonder if that’s what was happening now. Sable’s confliction, him becoming weaker, Maximilian being kidnapped and released, the gang, whatever was happening with Zaria and Jade gaining this new power and disappearing all around the same time she showed up.

She may not be involved, directly at least for now, but he didn’t want to take any chances.

He closed his eyes trying to quiet the voices old and new only to realize they weren’t there. His mind was peaceful

He opened his eyes to notice she was still holding his hand, through the glove but still it was contact.

He pulled away and she shot him a playful disappointed look.

Odd

It was like all the static in his mind had just cleared up when she touched him

He tried his best to look like nothing had happened. He didn’t know if she’d done that on purpose or not and was waiting for a response but he knew acting oblivious was his safest bet.

"Fine. Let’s just make it quick "

She looked pleasantly surprised by his change of heart.

"That was fast? So were you just playing coy or what? Guess I’ll just have to beg more often"

"..."

He pointed to the books she was supposed to take

"Oh, right "

She muttered, quickly checking them out

"Oh,by the way, since we’re doing this,you should sign up on the SAMF. You can’t get the reward from the mission otherwise"

Zen could care less about whatever it was but there was no sense in playing at a loss, besides, he would probably have to do this at some point so

He opened up the interface and opened up the forumn.

Since this was his first time he had to register, and looking at the huge amount of information he was required to put in, he could only quietly start

"I can take care of this for you"

Theia suddenly said in his mind

’You can?’

"Yep, and deal with all the weird things too"

He shrugged and gave her permission and right in front of his eyes the entire page was filled out in a matter of seconds and he was getting logged in

’I wonder why I can’t just put in my student profile ’

"Because this whole thing is a huge scam. There were about a dozen loopholes and other bullshit in this damn contract. Though I managed to isolate the ones I could and skirt around them. Fucking cheapskates"

Zen shrugged

’Someone has to profit from this somehow I guess. It’s just your average business’

He looked to his sode and noticed she was just done checking out

"So?"

He showed her the screen which was the home page of the forum

"Perfect"

She said, quickly opening hers

"What’s your username?"

Good question. One which he directed to Theia which she replied by opening his profile to let him see on his own.

And the name... didn’t suprise him to say the least

"Toffee? Really?"

Celia chuckled

"So you can be cheeky? Though that devil on your shoulder probably helped a lot"

She quickly found him,after all, not many people had such a name. She sent the mission to him officially, and something else"

Before he could see it, she teleported behind him and hit the accept button for him

«Friend request accepted»

"I figured I’d be your first"

She smirked ,her finger on his chest

"I like the name. Hard but sweet ,a perfect description "

He didn’t reply and just accepted the mission, reading it over just in case

"Interesting "