Chapter 19

The Host quickly walked toward The Academia. An old library with thousands of books containing the Siren Race and history. The old wooden door was pushed gently by Akari and her footsteps echoed around the library. It smelled of aged paper and leather, from the pages and book covers. She walked at the walkway where there was red carpet leading the end of the library. Left and right, racks of books being sectionalized to its specific genres and topics. The Academia had a second floor that can be accessed with the circular stairs. The older books were put there, statues of Siren notable and above it coloured glass windows that was magnificence for the eye and emit nice colour rays into the library. Regardless day or night.

The Academia was a church without a cross. It was a church of knowledge. But the inhabitant of The Academia was no priest. He was a young Searcher with a big temper being tested to the edge.

She walked passed the many racks and now walk among the many desks that students would write and read. At the end of The Academia was a room with the door a quarter open. Akari heard the sound of object being thrown, the many thumps shows how angry Red was. She stopped in front of the door and peek the room. It was a mess, items scattered around the floor. Akari knew who Red was and barging in was not a good idea. She tapped on the door three times and waited for a response.

Red was looking at the mirror in the bathroom, washing his face from the dirt and blood that he accumulated on the many sparring. He heard the knock and knew who was behind the door. He shook his head and exhaled slowly.

"I'm not changing my mind Akari." Red washed his face with the mixed water at the sink.

"May I come in Red?" Akari asked. "I can help you with the wounds."

"I don't need your help." Red splashed water to his face.

Red looked at the mirror once again and started to undress himself. He was half naked, belly button up. He looked at his body and the bruises started to emerge in colour. He cursed in his breath and threw the clothes in his hand. He took a white towel and exited the bathroom. He saw The Host already sitting at his bed in a womanly manner. She looked at him with a serious but plain face. Red stopped and confronted The Host, still wiping his bloody nose.

"I knew you would get in." Red pointed at her.

"Let me help you with the wounds, you need help Red." Akari said.

"So that's it, help me a few things and all is well." Red moved to his closet and kneeled down; there were a lot of things on the lower section. "I won't change my mind, Maya is out."

"You saw her abilities; you can't deny that she's not worthy."

"I don't care." Red took a small box and walked to his desk. "She's not qualified."

Red put the box on top of the desk and put a towel on the chair. He opened the box and inside it was a white lotion. It smelled like lime and had minty breeze to it. He took two fingers of lotion and put in his palm. He spread it wide and put the lotion on top of the bruised spot. Red quickly turned to his back realizing that Akari was drawing near.

"Don't you touch me!" Red warned to Akari. "I'm already in pain as it is, please don't make it worse."

"I was the one that told her to do it." Akari said.

Red stopped and processed what he heard then looked at her shockingly. "What?"

"I told her to let her powers control her and release it all." Akari bluntly said. "It was the only way for her to succeed."

"You crazy bitch!" Red shouted. "I almost died out there!"

"Don't exaggerate Searcher Red, if I was the one that told her to do it then that means I knew that this would happen."

"Yeah, says the one that didn't get her organs being pushed to the ground."

"You are strong Red, you have gone through many things and I believed that the injuries are far beyond the worst that you endured." She reasoned. "You have every right to be angry but please be as rational as you can. You know that these things require a lot of patience."

Red grimaced and fisted his hand. "You may be The Host but don't make you think that you are always right. People have limits."

"I understand." She soft put her hands on his shoulder. "Your commitment is not forgotten Red, I can't say how much I'm grateful of your servitude."

Red pushed her hand away from his shoulder. "Still, Maya did beat me but she still doesn't qualify. Anyone can win a sprint if they drugged up. You may win but you don't get the medal."

"You have seen her power; she's stronger than the ones that came before her. You already face the full brunt of her powers right? You can't deny that her potential is huge."

Red grimaced again but can't deny the fact; gravity manipulation was nothing normal in cases of Sirens. "After all the years I help the Siren cause, tell me what's happening with Maya. Did you get any dreams or whatever The Host gets that we Searchers don't?"

"Maya will become a great student of mine; she will lead the Siren race because she is The One."

"Are we going full on messiah on her? Is that where we leading? Because I never heard of The One in my studies."

"Knowledge can only go so far, it is wisdom that made me know that she is The One. You may know deeply about Sirens but you are no Siren. I am The Host and I know many things that you don't."

"Here we go again." Red sighed.

Red looked at the window where he could see the night slowly taking over the day. The calm night slowly weakened his temper and he thought long of what she had said. He glanced at her then slowly breathed. He nodded but cautiously said.

"After all the years of searching, while you meditating at the temple, I had to go through hell finding random Sirens. You rejected Sirens that are stronger than her at the end of your meetings. Now you're telling me she somewhat special. Is she now?"

"She's pure, knowledgeable and a virgin. She's the perfect candidate to be The One."

"Okay, I'll give her a chance."

"Good." Akari was happy with the decision.

"Does Kharkov know about it?"

"I will tell him after this."

"Good." Red pulled the chair near him and sat down. "I agree but I'll bail whenever I think I should. So don't you think that nothing happened, I won't forget this day."

"I respect your decision."

"Now go, do whatever you want to do in your temple and leave me alone."

The Host understood him and bowed to him slightly. She moved away from Red and slid out through the small opening of the door. She closed the door and went to the exit, she was satisfied with what had happened and couldn't have asked for more. As Red was left alone in his room, his tense shoulders slowly go down and sighed many times. He took the lotion on the desk and started spreading the ointment on his bruised body. After this, Red wanted to lie on his bed and end the day, that's the only thing that mattered to him.