Shield Of Vengeance

### Chapter 12: Bodyguard

After school ended, Arie made his way home, still in shock at how his power had suddenly surged during class. The display had been overwhelming, even to him. That night, as he settled into bed, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted into a deep sleep. Yet, unlike most nights, this sleep was interrupted by a vivid dream.

He found himself in a place simingly familiar, the air heavy with an energy that made his skin tingle. A mysterious figure emerged and stand before him, just as one had five years ago when his home village of Rement had been destroyed.

This time, however, the vision was sharper, more intense. The figure stepped closer, her features becoming clearer. In her hands, she held a book with an unusual symbol on its cover—a symbol that Arie now saw clearly.

The figure raised a hand and touched his forehead, sending a warm, pulsating light through his body. It felt as if she were imparting something powerful to him, an energy both foreign and familiar.

Arie wanted to speak, to ask who she was, but a sudden fear that he might wake up held him back. Still, the urge to know overwhelmed him, and he finally mustered the courage to ask.

"What is your name?" he shouted, though his voice felt muffled, as if it were being swallowed by the void. The figure's lips moved, forming words that reached him faintly.

"Ee... Aa," she said, her voice echoing like a distant whisper.

Before he could press her for more, the dream faded, and Arie jolted awake to the morning sun streaming through his window.

He sat up, heart pounding, as the memory of the dream lingered. He recalled that his last encounter with such a vision had led him to an ancient book—a book that had taught him much of what he knew.

Determined to find the book he had seen in his dream, Arie dressed quickly and headed for the library.

The library stood tall and imposing, with towering shelves that stretched to the ceiling. Arie walked through the familiar aisles, the scent of old parchment filling the air. As he scanned the shelves, he was startled by a voice.

"Arie? What are you doing here?"

He turned to see Mira, her head tilted in curiosity. She was holding a stack of books, her long hair cascading over her shoulders.

"Oh, just looking for a book," he replied, trying to sound casual.

"Really? What book?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm not exactly sure, but I know the symbol," Arie said, hoping she wouldn't press further.

Mira's eyes lit up with interest. "I can help you with that. I know my way around this library pretty well."

"Are you sure?" Arie asked, surprised by her offer.

"Yeah. Besides, we still have an hour before class starts," she said with a smile.

"Thank you," Arie said, relief washing over him.

"So, what's the symbol?" Mira asked, setting her books down on a nearby table.

Arie hesitated for a moment before grabbing a piece of paper. Using a small spark of fire magic, he sketched the symbol he had seen in his dream. He handed the paper to Mira and watched as her eyes widened in recognition.

"Follow me," she said, her tone serious. She led him to a secluded section of the library, where the air felt colder and the light dimmer. Mira pulled an old, dusty book from a high shelf and handed it to him.

"This is a book on teleportation magic," she said, eyeing him closely. "Now, as you promised, what do you need it for?"

Arie took the book, running his fingers over the symbol on the cover. "I think I'm supposed to learn it," he said, almost to himself.

Mira raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Learn it? Good luck with that. Only those blessed by the gods can use this kind of magic."

"Wait, really? Why?" Arie asked, the revelation catching him off guard.

"The book of teleportation magic," she explained. "Can only be read by those that are blessed by the gods. Usually, that's limited to the 10 Celestial Heroes or the extremely rare individuals with blessed eyes that possess unique powers."

She turned to show Arie the pages, revealing they were blank. "See? To almost everyone, it looks just like this."

Arie's heart sank as he stared at the empty pages. But then, something strange happened. Symbols began to shimmer faintly, emerging slowly and spreading across the paper before his eyes.

His breath caught in his throat as he realized what this meant. The figure in his dream—her touch—could she have blessed him? Without thinking, he accidentally muttered a chant aloud.

"What are you saying?" Mira asked, her eyes narrowing. "Wait—can you actually see the text?"

Before Arie could answer, a sudden burst of light enveloped him. Then he found himself standing behind Mira. She spun around, her eyes wide with shock.

"What the—? Are you blessed? Do you have some kind of special ability?" she stammered.

"I... I don't know," Arie said, his voice shaking. Overwhelmed, he clutched the book and dashed out of the library, not stopping until he reached the hallway leading to Class A.

"What's his deal?" Mira muttered, still reeling from what she had witnessed.

Arie's mind raced as he hurried through the halls. Snippets of teleportation spells and incantations flitted through his thoughts, the knowledge unfolding rapidly as if it had always been there. The realization left him dizzy.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Princess Lea until he collided with her.

"Ouch," Lea said, rubbing her arm. Her expression shifted from annoyance to surprise when she saw him. "Arie?"

Arie's eyes widened in horror. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. I wasn't paying attention. Please forgive me," he said, bowing quickly.

"It's fine," she replied, studying him closely. Her gaze fell to the book in his hands. "Wait—is that the book of teleportation magic? You can read it?"

"Uh, yes," Arie said, hesitating.

Lea's eyes narrowed in thought. "You're blessed? Is that why your magic is so powerful," she murmured.

"No, that's not it," Arie said quickly. "My power comes from my destruction magic. It's divine-level, but I don't know why I can read this."

Lea's eyes widened. "Your destruction magic is divine-level?

" Why? Is that not normal?" Arie answerrd.

" Well it is, for someone with high mana it is. " she replied

"Please, Princess," Arie said, leaning closer. "Don't tell anyone. I'm trying not to draw too much attention."

Lea paused, then nodded with a sly smile. "Alright, but on one condition."

"What condition?" Arie asked, apprehensive.

"Whenever you're with me, you must act as my guard," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Arie blinked. "That's it?"

"Yes, that's it," she confirmed.

"Okay," he agreed, feeling a wave of relief.

With that, they walked into the classroom together, trying to appear as if nothing had happened. Yet, both were acutely aware that this day had changed everything. For Arie, the mystery of his power deepened, and for Lea, a new opportunity had just begun.