Tale of a Hedonistic wizard

The group that fought with the monster seemed like an unlikely alliance, with each member possessing unique skills and abilities. Jaegar couldn't help but wonder how they all came together and what their connection was to Francesca. As he pondered, he couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to this group than meets the eye.

How had they come across that monstrous creature, and what had led it to manifest on the human plane?

While he was sitting on the couch, pondering over them, dusk descended upon the city, a magical portal materialised in the hall, and from it emerged Angelina, the mother witch.

Her keen gaze locked onto Jaegar as he sat there, a somewhat surprised expression on his face. The portal disappeared behind her, leaving them alone in the room.

Jaegar absent-mindedly stared at her.

Angelina, ever perceptive, noted Jaegar's reaction and couldn't help but chuckle softly.

She gracefully moved to sit beside him, her ageless appearance a stark contrast to the shifting sands of time. With a gentle smile, she spoke, "Oh, dear child."

Jaegar, feeling a tad embarrassed, glanced at her, memories of their previous meeting resurfacing.

He had remembered that, right after he came from the sinner's domain, he had met her briefly before coming to his home. And he didn't go back to meet her again. Seeing her expression right now, he thought about it.

Angelina chuckled and said, "No worry, dear; you must have your beauties by your side that made you forget about this old bones."

"It's not like that," he began to explain, then paused, realizing he was repeating a similar phrase she had used. He corrected himself, "I've had one thing after another come up, and I—" He hesitated, catching his words before they revealed too much.

Angelina, her ancient eyes filled with wisdom, seemed to understand.

She reassured him with a knowing smile, "No need to explain, dear. Life often has a way of diverting our paths."

Jaegar sighed, feeling a mix of relief and gratitude. "No, I could never forget about you, even in a million years," he admitted sincerely, his eyes meeting hers as he spoke from the heart.

"Enough about that," Angelina said. "The reason I came here was to ask you something."

Angelina paused for a moment, her gaze fixated on some distant thought. "Have you ever been to Graverane Forest?" she inquired, her voice carrying a note of seriousness.

Jaegar furrowed his brow, puzzled by the unfamiliar name. "No," he admitted, shaking his head. "It's my first time hearing about it, actually."

The wise witch continued to contemplate, her expression deep in thought. "I have a request for you, Jaegar," she finally said, her tone carrying a hint of urgency. "I would strongly advise you to stay away from the magical plane for a while, at least until I say otherwise."

Jaegar considered her words, pondering the implications. "Well, it's currently the holidays for us," he explained, "so I don't plan on going back until it's open again."

Angelina let out a sigh of relief. "That's good to hear," she responded. "Then I will take my leave."

As she stood up to go, Jaegar couldn't help but voice his concern. "But why do you not want me to go back? Is something happening there?" He asked genuine worry etched across his face.

Angelina's response was firm yet cryptic. "Because I said so," she replied with a slight edge to her tone. "Will you not listen to my words?"

Jaegar nodded, reassured by his trust in her wisdom and guidance. "Of course," he affirmed, his commitment unwavering. After all, she had been his master, guiding him on his journey to his current level of expertise. If she asked him to refrain from something, he would respect her wishes without question.

The fact that she saved him was something he would never forget.

Right after Angelina left the house, unknown to Jaegar, there was a vehicle stopped in the streets.

The unassuming Dodge van came to a halt a few houses down from Jaegar's residence.

Inside the vehicle were five individuals, including the two males sitting in the front, each with a distinct purpose in this mysterious operation.

In the back of the van, there was a man focused on monitoring a computer screen, his fingers dancing across the keyboard as he analyzed the data before him.

Behind him, two women sat in earnest conversation. The first, Prof. Elara, was a knowledgeable expert with an air of authority about her. Her eyes were fixed on the computer screen, and she spoke animatedly to the woman beside her as her eyes were fixed on the monitor before them.

Prof. Elara continued to explain the intricate readings and fluctuations in the energy they had detected earlier.  With the equipment they had, they were able to sense the change in the arcane energy concentrated at one spot, by which they were led here. Following the energy signals, they ended up here in the streets of Suburban.

They don't know about the magical energy, which the professor refers to as radiant energy.

They saw the huge spike when they first found the monster creature in the warehouse alleys. But right now, it wasn't as high as the last one. But they couldn't take the chance of another monster's appearance.

The portal was like connecting two different spaces at the same time; it may create an imbalance in the space around the area.

Opening a portal requires a lot of magical energy, and the energy gathered at the point will be higher.

The inexplicable anomalies in the suburban had brought them to the streets, they were just a few seconds away from pinpointing the location, but before they could tell where it was exactly, the energy point disappeared, leaving them confused and lost.

Francesca, the second woman, had her gaze trained on the suburban houses that lined the street. Her expression remained composed, but her thoughts were racing.

She recognised this neighbourhood; it was where her sister resided.

As recognition dawned upon Francesca, she stepped out of the van, casting a cautious glance towards Prof. Elara, who remained concealed within the vehicle.

She had no intention of drawing undue attention to their covert mission, especially in the midst of the bustling suburban streets.

Her sharp eyes scanned the familiar neighbourhood, focusing on her sister's house, and then shifted to the precise spot where the radiant energy readings had led them.

It was precisely two houses that were in their speculated area. Her decision was clear, and she gestured for the driver to remain stationed at their current location.

She decided to check it herself and went to the first house, but no one answered.

The second house in question was none other than Jaegar's residence.

The name reverberated in her mind, a name she had heard from her sister during a recent conversation.

Francesca made her way towards Jaegar's house with a sense of anticipation coursing through her.

She rang the doorbell, the chiming sound cutting through the air, and waited patiently. The door swung open, revealing Jaegar's figure, his surprise at her unexpected visit evident.

Before Francesca could utter a word, the distant hum of an approaching car engine grew louder until it came to a halt in the garage.

She got out of the car and walked to the entrance to see her and Jaegar standing opposite each other.

The entrance of Diana, with her knowing smile, interrupted their interaction.

Diana, familiar with Francesca through their mutual acquaintance, Megan, greeted her warmly.

Francesca had started coming here recently to her sister's house, before that, she lived elsewhere, which was why Jaegar didn't know about her and Megan never really mentioned her to him during all those years.

"Francesca, what are you doing here?" Diana's tone held genuine curiosity, and her smile matched Francesca's.

The two women had known each other for some time, thanks to their connection through Megan.

Jaegar, conscious of what happened in the alleys of the warehouse, felt his apprehensions solidify, but he maintained his composure, concealing his inner turmoil.

The questions traced back to when he killed the monster, Did she see him on the rooftop?

Diana, with an inviting gesture, welcomed them into her home. "Come inside," she said, and the trio crossed the threshold into the house, leaving behind the mysteries of the radiant energy.

Francesca, maintaining her calm appearance, stepped into Diana's home, glancing around the familiar surroundings.

The cozy living room was adorned with family photographs and had a sense of warmth that enveloped the space. Jaegar followed them inside, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected visit.

Diana, the gracious host, offered refreshments to her guest. "Would you like some tea, Francesca?"

Francesca nodded with a polite smile. "Tea sounds lovely, thank you."